The Reich Family

New Place

2012-01-25T13:25:00.000-08:00

We have been living with my parents for the past few months (5 1/2 months to be exact) while looking for a home to buy. The short story is....we had a crappy realtor, had numerous houses fall through right before we were supposed to close, and so we finally decided that we would just rent until the summer. Zach should be done with his degree in Aug, and once that happens, we might not even live in Utah, so we started searching for rental places. We looked at apartments, homes, and finally found our current town home. And on Thanksgiving Day we got the keys. Its prefect for our needs and has just the amount of space. We really do love it and couldn't feel more blessed to have found this place. It has 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bath(we have a jetted tub in the master), unfinished basement for storage, 2 car garage, 2 skylights, and perfect location. Almost 6 months of living out of a suitcase is not something I ever want to do again!!! Thanks so much to my parents who opened their home to us! We will forever be grateful for your generosity and willingness to put up with us in your home!

My 24th Birthday

2012-01-25T13:09:00.000-08:00

This year my birthday was very low-key. I was extremely tired from being up with the kids most of the night, and from sleeping on the floor in our new place since we still don't have any of our stuff. Zach took the kids in the morning to the store across the street to get me flowers and my favorite Green Smoothie. We thought it would be fun to take the kids to Jungle Jims and let them just have some fun. I know that they have been stressed with this move and living out of 1 suitecase for so long, and I thought that they deserved a break too. We played and had a blast! After Jungle Jims we tried out a new pizza spot. Pizza Limone. It is AMAZING! Our new favorite pizza spot in Utah. All in all it was a wonderful day. I love just being able to spend time with Zach and the kids!
Here is one picture we managed to get while we were having fun! And yes, I look aweful because of how tired I am!!!

Sandee Bell

2012-01-25T12:56:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law Britt had her precious little baby girl a Nov 2nd and we couldn't wait to meet her. Zach and I went to the hospital the next day while the kids took a nap at my parents house. It was so weird to be in a hospital room with a brand new baby and not have it be mine. I wasn't here for the birth of my niece and nephew, so I haven't really had this experience for a very long time. Britt did such a great job and was so lucky to have her mom and sisters there with her. Here are just a few pictures of Sandee the day after she was born.

A couple days later Britt asked if I would do some pictures of her when they got home from the hospital. I have to admit I was a little nervous because I have never done a newborn photo shoot inside. I have always done them outside in the warm hawaiian air. But I think they turned out just fine!

She is absolutely adorable and we are so in love with her!

Halloween Month

2012-01-24T15:03:00.001-08:00

As most of you know, our family LOVES to dress up. So of course the moment we enter the month of October, we use any excuse necessary to dress up. And sometimes we find that we don't even have a good excuse to be dressed up at all, but we do it anyways.
Every year I do a photo shoot of the kids either right before or right after their birthdays. Instead of wearing his new birthday clothes, Boston wanted to be Spiderman.

The day after Boston's photo shoot Marley had made sure I knew that she wanted to be a super hero too. She chose Buzz Lightyear and this time Boston wanted to be Captain America. They had a blast jumping off the rocks and playing in the yard at Grandma & Grandpa Cahoon's house.

Zach was asked to dress up as "Molar-Man" for Burg Pediatric Dentistry. I used to work there and Zach mom was working for them at the time, so he said he would be happy to. They had a booth set up at Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving Point, so the kids and I tagged along. They had bounce houses, mazes, climbing toys, music, food, and of course trick-or-treating. It was a blast!

The Saturday before Halloween we took the kids to Hogle Zoo to do their trick-or-treating, since we didn't really plan on taking them out on Halloween night because of the cold. Boston was Max from Where the Wild Things Are, Marley wanted to be a Super Hero Ballerina, and both Zach and I were clowns. It was freezing cold and WAY TOO CROWDED, but I guess that is the whole Utah Halloween experience. HAHA! The kids had a great time riding the train and seeing all the other costumes.

After the Zoo, we had to go back to Cornbelly's one last time, since they asked Zach to be Molar Man again. It was A LOT colder this time and the kids weren't quite as into it as last time, but we managed to have a good time.

Halloween Day finally came and the kids couldn't decide on what costume they were going to wear for the "BIG DAY"! Boston finally decided on being Clark Kent, AKA Superman, and Marley was Tinkerbell. In the morning I took them to the library for Halloween activities and story time and then headed back to Grandma & Grandpa Cahoon's house for a LONG nap. It seemed that the entire month of activities and dressing up finally caught up to them and they were exhausted! Later in the evening Ella & Hudson (cousins) came over to show everyone their costumes and the kids decided that it would be fun to go to a couple houses with their cousins before baths and bedtime. We went to maybe 10 houses and then the kids got in a nice hot bath to warm them back up. We gave them some glowsticks to play with in the water and had the soundtrack from Nightmare before Christmas playing. They loved every minute of it!

5th Anniversary

2012-01-20T18:30:00.001-08:00

Zach and I celebrated our 5th Anniversary on October 14th. It is the first anniversary that we have lived closer then 3,000 miles away and so this year was EXTREMELY different. Zach, being the absolute romantic, booked us a room at the Castle Creek Inn. We stayed in the Romeo & Juliet suite. It was absolutely gorgeous. It was the very first time that I have been away from the kids for more then a few hours and it was so thoughtful of Zach for getting us a place that was literally 5 minutes away from where they were(Zachs mom's house). And surprisingly I was completely fine being away from them for an entire night. After we checked in we went out to Asian Star for dinner and then head back to the Inn. I couldn't have pictured a more perfect evening!!!

We went to pick the kids up in the morning after we ate breakfast at the Inn. (p.s. I HIGHLY recommend this place!!! We plan on staying there again sometime.) Once we got the kids, we decided to spend the day up in Park City. Believe it or not, I have never been to the actual Park City. I have lived in Utah more then half of my life and it was the first time going all the way up. I have been to Jeremy Ranch area MANY times but never all the way up to Park City. We thought because the weather was so nice, it would be perfect to go exploring with the kids.

I think that this had to have been the absolute BEST anniversary that we have had. Zach really is my dream guy and I feel so lucky to be with such a thoughtful, romantic man. He is so wonderful to me and I couldn't imagine my life without him! Thanks for 5 great years baby! I am looking forward to 50+ more years!

Boston's 4th Birthday

2012-01-20T17:42:00.000-08:00

As everyone knows, Boston loves books. We are constantly getting books at the library, as well as reading the hundreds of books we have at home. So when I asked Boston what kind of Birthday he wanted he stated the title of his current favorite book, "Where the Wild Things Are". My mom was a huge lifesaver when it came to his costume. She did such a great job with it and I knew that even though he couldn't wear it out on his birthday, it would come in handy during the winter, since its made of fleece. He Loves Max and thought everything turned out awesome! Here is his cake and cupcakes that I made for him. My little brother helped me with Max's face, since I couldn't seem to get it just right.

I love Marley's expression. She was so excited when she heard that there were presents downstairs. It was hard trying to explain none of it was for her.

And of course we went somewhere that Boston (Max) could be King of the Wild Things. The Zoo

Thanks to my mom, sister, and bro-in-law that came to the zoo with me and the kids!

After the Zoo we headed down to Gateway for our usual CPK birthday lunch. We met Zach and his mom there and then walked down to the fountains. He was loving every minute of it!

And of course Marley was loving it too!

He had to have a change of costume when we got back to my parents for cake.

We love you so much Boston and we sure hope that your day felt super special because you are our #1 little man. You are such a great kid and we feel so lucky that you are a part of our family. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

"Princess Hair"

2012-01-20T15:42:00.001-08:00

Before I had kids, I swore that if I ever had a little girl, she would not be like the average girl.
Favorite Color: Pink
Future Job/Career: Ballerina (Dancer)
LOVES princesses, Teaparties, dolls, etc.
I wanted a little girl who played sports, liked any other color then pink, very easy going, with very little drama, etc.
And then I had Marley.
Favorite Color: Pink
Future Job/Career: Ballerina
Is a fan of certain princesses, LOVES tea parties, has a million dolls.
She loves to wear dresses, carry purses, and wears my shoes constantly! But she is so much more then that. She is a very independent, strong willed little girl. She is so intelligent and has the best personality(a strong mix of sarcasm and dry humor). I can honestly say that I have the best part of both worlds. I have a little girl that will play sports, is fearless, loves dinosaurs, working with tools, books, dressing up as different superheros (Buzz Lightyear, Captain America, Iron Man, Spiderman, etc). I also have someone that I can have my girly moments with. I love that she loves dresses and shoes as much as I do. I love that she is bright and witty. And most of all I love that this girl is influenced by NOTHING!!! She does what she wants, when she wants, because she wants to. She doesn't do something just because everyone else is. I was blessed with a daughter that showed me that you can LOVE the color pink & play with your dolls, while you are dressed like a superhero and playing in the dirt. She is my idea of the perfect girl! Here are a few pictures she requested that I take.
This is what she calls her "Princess Hair".

Silver Lake

2012-01-20T15:11:00.000-08:00

Silver Lake has always been a special place for Zach and I. It is absolutely beautiful and the walk around the lake is so nice, especially during the summer. We went up a few times during the summer and enjoyed it every time.

Even my Little Brother Oli came up with me and the kids in between his shifts at work! The kids sure do love him!!!Boston was very curious about the fish people were catching and asked to touch them. My little social bug!They really have become best buds! Boston is always asking when can Uncle Oli can play.We were lucky enough to see this moose chilling just off the lake. It was the first time they had ever seen a moose.

Canyon Drive

2012-01-20T13:38:00.000-08:00

One thing that Zach and I both knew we would be doing with our kids was going on LOTS of family drives up the canyons. One Sunday evening after dinner, we packed the kids up and started to just drive. We didn't have anywhere in mind...all that mattered to us was that we were all together. We found this place just off the road and the kids thought it was so cool being able to throw rocks into the streams. This is sure to be a weekly activity during the summer!

Hiking In Utah

2012-01-20T13:02:00.001-08:00

My little brother Oliver is really into hiking. He's extremely active and is always outdoors! So of course when we moved here and wanted to take the kids on hikes, I knew exactly who to ask for suggestions. And not only did he give us suggestions he said he would be happy to just come with us. How awesome is he!!! So this is our first hike with the kids in Utah.

Cabin Time

2012-01-20T11:46:00.000-08:00

Zach's grandparents live up at their cabin during the summer months, so we made sure to make it up there at least a few times with the kids. Its funny that Zach grew up going to this very cabin all his childhood, because I grew up going to my grandparents property 3 minutes away. We might have even bumped into each other as kids and not even known it. Anyways, the kids LOVE the cabin and I think that Grandma and Grandpa Moses love having little ones around again.

Fountains

2012-01-20T11:08:00.000-08:00

Once the kids discovered the fountains at Gateway, they constantly asked to go. At first they couldn't believe that we would let them just run through the giant fountains without swimsuits on, but they got over the shock VERY quickly! What a fun way for the kids to get out lots of energy and cool off in the heat!

Hogle Zoo

2012-01-03T15:02:00.001-08:00

Since we moved to Utah, we have been trying to figure out some fun things to do with the kids. And of course getting an annual pass to the zoo was at the top of our list! Our family absolutely LOVES the zoo and even though we are bummed we won't be able to go every single weekend, all year long, like we did in Hawaii, we are still excited to use it during the summer, fall, and hopefully spring. So here are some pictures of our many trips to the zoo over the entire summer.
We were also lucky enough to be here while they had their Dinosaur's at the Zoo. The kids loved every minute of seeing new dinos hiding out at the zoo.

Marley wasn't too sure about being so close to this dino. It actually was really creepy!!!

Butlerville Days

2012-01-02T10:02:00.001-08:00

At the end of July, they do Butlerville Days. They have big blow-up bounce houses and slides, a car show, music, food, fireworks, etc...so we thought that the kids would have a blast. Unfortunately the weather was AWEFUL!!!! We were there for maybe 20 minutes before a complete DOWN-POUR started. And it didn't help that it was pretty chilly already...add the rain and it was FREEZING! We ended up leaving and getting some hot coco. The kids seemed to enjoy themselves before the rain came. Here are a few pictures I snapped before we had to leave.

Geeking Out

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

For anyone that truly knows me, you know that I am an absolute geek, nerd, or whatever else you might want to call me. So of course when the final Harry Potter Movie came out I was beyond excited! But I am also fairly logical and I knew that there was NO WAY I was going to be able to see the midnight showing, because lets face it....being a mom of 2 crazy, energetic kids doesn't really allow me to stay up late...EVER! HAHA! But Zach(being the most amazing husband ever!!!)suggested we still go down to the theater to be a part of the festivities for a little while. And I am so glad we did! I was geeking out to the max, as you can tell. I seriously have the best husband ever to put up with all my craziness!Creepiest guy I have ever met. After this he started whispering in my ear.

Of Course the news crew was there. We may or may not have been on t.v.

Family Reunion

2011-12-28T10:24:00.001-08:00

Every 3-4 years my dad's side of the family does a HUGE family reunion, and it just so happened to be this year. I've missed a couple reunions, since the closest we ever lived to Utah was about 3,000 miles away, so I was really excited! This year we were going down to Hurricane Utah(right by St.George)to throw a surprise birthday for my Grandma and then we were headed to Zion's for the BIG reunion. After the first day there, I got really sick. I ended up having to go to a insta-care and I left feeling a whole lot worse. I had a double ear infection, strep throat, and pink eye in both eyes. It was absolutely terrible! We thought that I would start to feel better, so we drove to Zion's National Park with everyone else. But that was a BIG mistake. I felt even worse by the time we got there and so after hanging out with family for a little while, we decided to just pack up the car and drive through the night. Another BIG mistake. It just so happened that there a was a terrible thunder storm and it was raining so hard that you couldn't even see out the windshield. It was a terrifying drive back to my parents house and to make it even worse...It was Zach's actual birthday! I felt so terrible that that is how he spend his birthday morning, but I promised I would make it up to him. Here are a few pictures of us before I came down with everything.
Marley relaxing at the Lake in Hurricane
The kids were not fans of the mud, dirt, and rocks. And they kept complaining that they couldn't see through the water. I guess they have been spoiled with the oceans in Hawaii!

Marley rode on a wave runner for the first time and LOVED it! But she kept trying to take the handles from me so she could drive. I think this girl might be trouble!

My Aunt Judy and Aunt Jillyn put together such a wonderful surprise birthday for my grandma!

She was so surprised! Isn't she the cutest!

Surprise Party & July 4th

2011-12-28T09:45:00.000-08:00

We spent a few weeks apart from Zach, while he finished checking out of active duty (he's now in the reserves) and getting all our stuff packed up and moved out. It was right before July 4th when he finally flew in and I thought that since his whole family was getting together at his mom's house, we should just throw him a surprise birthday party, since his is July 8th. It was so much fun and it was so nice to just have him around again. I sure do miss that guy when we are apart!The beautiful dessert that Wendy did for ZZach picked up the gift that his mom gave to him and because it was so heavy, he jokingly asked, "Wow, whats in here, a raft or something." And it was! HAHAOnce it got a little darker outside, we went to the front yard to do sparklers and some small fireworks with the kids. When we got to the front, someone was setting off GIANT fireworks and this was Marley's reaction when she saw them.This was her pretty much the rest of the night!And of course who doesn't like sparklers! Marley's kept trying to blow it out like it was a candle.I think that it turned out to be a really fun day full of love, laughter, and of course some fireworks!

The Big Move

2011-12-28T09:32:00.001-08:00

Father's day was a bitter-sweet day. We loved spending the entire day with Zach, celebrating him being the BEST dad, but it is also the day that the kids and I left Hawaii to move to Utah. It was such an emotional day. We will FOREVER be missing Hawaii, but I know that we will go back! There is no way that our kids will let their lives go by without spending more time on those beautiful islands, and there is absolutely NO WAY I will go the rest of my life without spending more time there as well! We will miss the weekly hikes, the strolls along the oceanfront, watching the sunset, the early morning sunrises on the beach, the warm Christmas mornings, the beautiful scenery, the limitless outdoor adventures, and of course the absolute perfect temps. Honestly, I couldn't even begin to list all the reasons why we are going to so desperately miss the wonderful island! We have had a GREAT 3 years here and we wouldn't have changed a single moment that we spent in The Land of Aloha! But we are on to new adventures. Being in Utah will give the kids the chance to spend time with their cousins, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, and everyone else that they haven't really been able to get to know. Utah also has some amazing hiking and outdoor adventures, that we plan to take full advantage of. So....Aloha Hawaii and Thanks for All the Adventures!!!

Marley's 2nd Birthday

2011-12-27T21:37:00.000-08:00

Marley's birthday was such a blast! She wanted a butterfly themed birthday, so of course I made sure to put her in some butterfly pajamas. She woke up so excited and happy!
The Butterfly Set-Up
I absolutely LOVE her reaction to her birthday set-up. She really was so excited!
And of course she had to have burrterfly wings and a wand to top it all off!
Of course she got a new record, along with 40 story book/record combos. Some dating back to 1937. She has grown quite fond of records and insists on listening to one anytime we are downstairs.
We started the celebrating off at the Bounce House. She sure is adventurous!
She then wanted to ride the train that they had set up in the mall.
And then it was off to one of her absolute favorite playgrounds.

And of course she had to have a butterfly cake and a few cupcakes.

We sure love you Marley and we can't believe that you are 2!!! The past couple years have flown by. I can't imagine my life without my little girl and I am so happy that we were lucky enough to have you in our lives! Happy Birthday Marley!

Marley Kalia

2011-06-14T17:51:00.001-07:00

I can't believe that my baby girl is turning 2 years old in 2 days! I think that it's very fitting that we will be moving off the island exactly 2 years after the day we brought her home from the hospital. It was such a great start to a new life bring her home and I know that it will be the same for when we move. Marley has had so many adventures here is Hawaii and I know that she will miss it, but I also know how excited she is to see grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I usually do the photoshoots for the kids the day before or the day of their actual birthday, but since our computer will be shut down and packed away by Marley's birthday I wanted to hurry and post some pictures before we move. I will have to post everything about her actual birthday in about a month or 2, once we have our stuff shipped back to the mainland. (And sorry for the quality of pictures. The weather here has been rainy and dreary. It rained off and on throughout all the pictures.)

Here is a picture from Marley's 1st birthday photoshoot.

It's amazing how much she has changed in 1 year! We have talked to Marley about what kind of birthday she wanted this year. It has changed every few days for the past month. Everything from,

Fantastic Mr. Fox...Transformers...Superheros...Teaparty...etc.. But finally she is set on butterflies(at least for now)!

This will be the outfit that she wears on her actual birthday. A friend of mine gave it to me when Marley was a tiny little baby girl. It has the most amazing vintage looking birthday cakes all over it. I remember thinking that it would be FOREVER until she was able to wear it. Well...that FOREVER came really really fast!

And of course she insisted on being able to wear her panda hat and shirt in some pictures.

I love you Marley Girl! I hope that you have a great birthday! Sorry that things have been so crazy the past few days, but I promise that when we land in Utah, you will get all the attention you could possibly handle!

The Reich Boys

2011-06-14T16:59:00.000-07:00

We had these 3 handsome guys visit us a week ago. Zach's dad and 2 "little" brothers. We are so glad that Josh and Jonah were able to come out and see Oahu! Too bad the weather was HORRIBLE! It rained every day they were here, but we were able to see the sun a couple times inbetween the clouds. We took them to our favorite beach, Lanikai... And then while I took the kids homes for naps, the boys were able to go on a hike.That night were lucky enough to get tickets to a movie that they show on the Fantail of the USS Missouri. It was a once in a lifetime experience and we all had a blast. We had some pizza at a park before the movie started and then headed to the ship. One of the last days that the guys were here we had VERY fun day. We started on the North Shore, where it rained off and on the whole time, but we still had a blast! After playing all morning at Waimea Bay, we drove to the other side of the island to take them on our favorite hike. It was super muddy, but so much fun! We had such a great time! Sorry guys that the weather wasn't better, but we are sure glad you made it out here!

Hawaii State Fair

2011-05-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

We had such an amazing 4 day weekend!!! We went to the park, zoo, Elmo Concert, and last night we went to the State Fair. It was a BLAST! The kids loved it and it was Marley's first time ever seeing anything like it. She loved every minute of it; the music, rides, lights, etc. Here are some pictures that I took while we were there.
(BTW: if you are wondering what happend to Boston's nose...he ran into a wall. HAHA! Never a dull moment with that kid!) We saw a circus performance for the very first time. The kids thought it was so cool! Had to hurry a get a snapshot of my handsome husband! I sure do love him! Waiting in line for some rides. These pictures are EXACTLY 2 years apart. The first one, I was 38 weeks pregnant with Marley. Time has flown by! Marley really wanted to ride the "horsy ride" and I'm so glad she was able to. And of course if Marley does something, Boston want to do it too. This is also 2 years ago. They weren't going to let Boston on this ride beacuse he was too small, but since Zach was riding with him, they said it would be ok. And now...He is not only big enough to go, but he wanted to go all by himself and he LOVED it!

Sesame Street

2011-05-31T13:06:00.000-07:00

The USO put on an amazing Sesame Street show for all military families all around the world. We were lucky enough to have a show on the base next to our house, so of course we wanted to take the kids. We grabbed some Pizza and headed to a park that is right next door to where it was being held. We were planning on eating, letting the kids play, and then going to see the show. But after driving by, we saw that there was already a line forming, so we decided to just get inline, while it was still in the shade, and eat pizza and play around while waiting to go in. THANK GOODNESS we decided to do that!!! The line ended up wrapping around the ENTIRE building. It was crazy!!! We ended up right near the front, next to where the characters would come out and walk and so the kids could touch them. The kids had a blast!!! Waiting outside in line. The kids did such a good job at entertaining themselves, since we literally were waiting for 1 1/2 hours.
When we got inside they handed out elmo spinner things that light up and bandanas. They LOVED them!The 1 thing that Boston wanted to do was to show Elmo that he had hurt his finger. So as soon as elmo walked by us Boston grabbed him and made sure that he saw that he had a ouchie. HAHA!

Zoo

2011-05-31T12:46:00.001-07:00

Since our time is getting close to leaving (only a couple more weeks) we wanted to go to the Zoo one last time all together as a family. The Zoo has always been something that we have LOVED! Before Marley was born, we went all the time with Boston, and I am SOOOO glad that nothing changed when Marley came along. We have loved having our zoo passes and will miss the Honolulu Zoo, but we are looking forward to getting family passes to the Hogle Zoo. Here is our first picture that we ever took with Boston at the Zoo and then a picture of Marley that was taken almost exactly 2 years later. And now another 6 months has passed since that picture was taken. Its amazing how much time has passed so quickly! It kind of makes me sad!!!

Sand Playground

2011-05-31T12:40:00.000-07:00

Of course we spent lots of time at the park and playground over the long weekend. This playground is especially awesome because it is built on sand and it is one of the biggest that we have found on the island. The kids love it because there is so much to do and surprisingly, its not ever busy.

Instax Mini Pictures

2011-05-19T13:01:00.000-07:00

Since I was scanning in the holga pictures I figured I would quickly scan in just a few of the instax pictures that we have taken. My Fuji Instax Mini Camera has to be my FAVORITE camera. It is absolutely amazing and I love how excited the kids get to see the picture "magically" appear. There is something quite "magical" about it! It's not just taking a picture, it's part of a whole experience!

First Holga Pics

2011-05-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

I wanted to quickly post a few of the pictures that I took with my holga. I know that I have a lot to learn and practice makes perfect, but so far...I am LOVING it! I love the little imperfections, the blurred pictures, and oh the COLOR! Not a single one of these pictures have been edited at all! I scanned them straight into the computer! It really is quite the amazing little camera and I couldn't be more pleased about these little moments I was able to capture!

Another Evening at the Park

2011-05-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

We have had REALLY crappy weather the past couple weeks (obviously, since I haven't posted any new pictures) and finally we got a little break in the weather a few days ago, so we took the kids to the park to get out some of their engery. Here are a few of the pictures that I took really quick. If you didn't notice most of them are of Marley. Boston has become quite good at avoiding the camera when he wants.

Homeschooling

2011-05-02T19:49:00.000-07:00

After countless hours researching on the internet and in books, talking with public school teachers and homeschooling parents, and of course discussing with my husband and kids, we have decided that I am going to Homeschool the kids. We think that the kids will both benefit from learning at their own pace. Once they have mastered 1 particular subject, they are able to move on to the next. And if they are having difficulty with something, or are just enjoying it so much that they don't want to move on, they are able to spend as much time as they need/want. I love the flexibility that homeschooling gives to our family and the fact that if Zach decides to come back into the military, we won't have to worry about the kids going from one school to another every couple years. We love that the kids will be able to learn and be educated in a safe and positive environment. We won't have to worry about school shootings, drugs, alcohol, language, and everything else that goes on daily in regular public school. They will have endless support from Zach and I, and I am looking forward to joining a homeschooling group that gets together for weekly classes/field trips. With homeschooling, I think that our Zach and I will be able to maintain the unity and closeness that we have with both Boston and Marley. And we hope that our kids will be more well-rounded individuals because of their homeschooling experience.

Now that we have made the decision I have started collecting items here and there, from places like Goodwill, Border's Clearance section, Wal-mart, and craigslist. Homeschooling can get quite expensive VERY quickly, so I have had to use my knowledge of thrift shopping, TO THE MAX!!! There are complete outlined programs that you can buy for each subject in each grade level, but I have decided that I would much rather come up with the curriculum on my own. It is of course A LOT of work, but I know that in the end it will be worth it.

We are currently looking at houses in Utah and we have found a few that would work so wonderfully for our needs with homeschooling and Zach going to school full time at the U, but alas we have found it's VERY hard to buy a home when you live over 3,000 miles away. But we are hopefully to be able to find something soon! Thanks to all our family and friends who have supported us in our decision. We are extremely grateful!!!

Easter Sunday

2011-04-24T23:41:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday started off VERY early for me! Marley got up every hour starting at 1 am. At one point I woke up to her laying on top of me. Apparently I was so tired I didn't even feel her climb up. And then Boston got up at 3 and wanted to be up for the day. I talked him into going back to sleep, but he only slept till about 5am. So I put a movie on for him, so I could get some sleep, and within 10 minutes Marley was awake and wanting to watch the movie with Boss. Once their movie was over, I am guessing Zach got up with them, because I don't remember anything until 8am when Zach brought me up some cinnamon rolls for breakfast. He is seriously the BEST! Anyways, since the kids are still sick we stayed home and just took it easy. I wanted to get the kids in their Easter clothes to at least take some pictures. So we went out in front of our house and took these pics. Enjoy!

Easter Eggs

2011-04-24T23:25:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Zach had duty until 2, so we were planning on going to the pool when he got home and then do Easter activities the rest of the day, but that didn't work out. The kids have been sick, some days they seem to do better than others, but Saturday was a bad day! So instead we took it easy and let the kids color their Easter eggs and then rest.

Marley was having the BEST time, until.... we ran out of eggs to color.
This is what she looked like when we said we were all done.

I know some might wonder why we had the kids undressed and outside to color eggs....this is why. Our kids tend to be VERY messy and so we knew that being outside would be the best option for our little nuggets!

"Good Friday" done RIGHT!

2011-04-24T22:23:00.000-07:00

We decided to start our "Good Friday" out as a GREAT day! We woke the kids up super early and headed out to our favorite beach to eat breakfast and watch the sun rise. Its another memory that I will never forget! And of course once the kids saw this ledge, they had to jump off it. Over and over again! After we were done with breakfast and playing around, we headed out for a nice hike. There are some old World War II bunkers close by Lanikai, so we decided to hike up to them before we went swimming in the ocean. It was AMAZING! Standing on top of the Bunker You can see the trail to the left of the picture. In some parts you didn't have very much space before you hit the ledge of the mountain on both sides. It was a little scary in some places, but we made it! After hiking, we headed back down to the beach and enjoyed our time just playing in the sand and water. And of course a day at the beach can't end without 1 of the kids getting sand in their eyes and freaking out. This time (and usually everytime) it was Boston. Poor Kid! It was a WONDERFUL day filled with lots of smiles, food, laughter, kisses, and of course...new memories!

Z's Trip to Utah

2011-04-24T22:14:00.001-07:00

Unfortunately, Zach had to make a trip out to Utah very quickly a couple weeks ago. His Grandpa Grant passed away very suddenly and so as soon as Z found out he was able to get a ticket and fly straight out to Utah. He was able to spend LOTS of time with his family and help out any way he could. We sure will miss Grandpa Grant! Here are a few pictures that were taken while Z was in Utah.

My Little Panda

2011-04-10T18:46:00.000-07:00

Zach and I found this adorable little Panda Bear hat on super clearance a few months ago and we bought it and put it away for when Marley got older. Today I pulled out a bunch of bags of clothes that I have collected from thrift shopping in order to organize them into sizes and Marley found the hat mixed in with everything. She immediately fell in love and refused to let me put it away. She has worn it all day long, including during her naptime. As you can tell she is very attached to it! So I guess it's a good thing she looks so darn cute! This is Marley's face right after her balloon blew away and popped on the grass. Poor Girl!

Practice Easter

2011-04-06T23:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome the the Reich Home!!! A place where we celebrate EVERYTHING....even Holidays that haven't even come yet. Zach and I both thought that this past Sunday was Easter, due to the fact that Easter fell on the first Sunday of April last year, so we just figured that it always did. So needless to say, our kids are quite the lucky ducks since they will be celebrating Easter 2x this year. Zach made a big Easter breakfast (waffles, fresh strawberries, whipped cream), we got the kids in their Easter clothes and let them open their Easter stuff. In our house, we thought it would be fun to do Easter Lunch Boxes, since we are constantly going on picnics, and I love the idea that the kids will get to use their present everyday, all year long. Boston decided on Toy Story and Marley wanted Strawberry Shortcake. We also don't do candy in our Easter eggs....we do money. The kids love to "feed their pig" and so since we know they don't need the sweets we thought it would be fun for them to put all their coins in the piggy in order to save up for something that they really would like to get. Thank goodness we get another chance at Easter this year, since our "Practice Easter" was TERRIBLE!!! We all woke up sick, Zach got a call that his Grandpa had suddenly passed away, so most of the day was spent figuring out flights for Zach to get to Utah and then any extra time was spent laying around trying to feel better. Thank goodness we have another shot at Easter! HAHA!

Zoo & Park

2011-04-04T23:48:00.000-07:00

Boston and Marley both woke up wanting to go to the Zoo on Saturday, so after packing up a picnic lunch, we headed out.During lunch we found out that Marley is allergic to Clementines, just like her mom! And even though her mouth and lips swelled up, she still couldn't stop eating them...just like her mom!I sure love this handsome little man!Animals at the Zoo Gorgeous plants in the Zoo's Garden After the Zoo and nap time we took the kids over to the park so they could play on the playground and ride their bikes. Boston of course made a friend as soon as we got there. This kid was hilarious! He actually believed he was a real Jedi. Boston just thought it was a cool game to play.I sure love this girl!And this handsome guy!Another perfect weekend in Paradise!

Family Camping Adventure

2011-03-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

We have been wanting to take the kids camping for a while, but since you have to have a permit to camp anywhere on the island, we just haven't taken the time to get one. So we thought it would be fun to camp out in our living room. We set up a tent, cooked foil dinners, watched a Scooby doo Camping movie (since they are still a little too young to fully enjoy all the classics), and had smores for dessert. It was such a blast! Zach had to be up early for work and really needed to get some good sleep, so he slept upstairs in our bed while me and the kids slept in the tent. It was a VERY long night, and it is probably a good thing Zach slept upstairs. But the kids were happy, which of course makes everything worth it! I love that Boston is in the background making his "kissing" face, while Marley is desperately trying to get inbetween Zach and I! HAHA! Marley has somewhat of an obsession with Zach's hats. The kids tried smores for the very first time and they absolutely HATED them!!! Boston actually started gagging! HAHA! But don't worry, they didn't go to waste. This cute guy LOVES smores!

Saturday Bliss

2011-03-29T16:21:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that we only have another couple months here and then we are gone! It makes me so sad, but so grateful for the chance to have lived in such a beautiful place. Friday afternoon I had surgery on my ear and so Saturday we decided to just take it easy. We drove out to Ko'olina Lagoons, so the kids could ride their bikes and Zach and I could just enjoy the scenery. It was wonderful!Marley is still loving her bike! She isn't as attached to it as Boston, but she loves trying to keep up with her big brother. After riding his strider bike only 5 times Boston has already learned how to balance. How amazing is that! He loves his bike and the new trick he can do (lifting both his legs up). Now we need to just teach him that he doesn't need to lift his legs so high! HAHA! When we got home from Ko'olina, my ear was hurting so badly that Zach told me to just go upstairs and try to take a nap. So, while I napped, Zach took the kids to the park and snapped a few pictures of our 2 crazy kids.

Just another Wednesday...in China

2011-03-24T15:57:00.001-07:00

It all started with this guy!!!Zach has been working so hard lately and I know that this week especially, he has felt a little burned out. So I wanted to turn an ordinary Wednesday into a fun, relaxing night for my hard working husband! When Zach walked in the door the last thing he expected was to find me and the kids decked out in chinese attire. I decorated the house and had Zach's chinese outfit waiting for him when he got home. We had a great night of AWESOME chinese food, traditional chinese games, of course it wouldn't be a night in china without some Kung Fu, so we watched Kung Fu Pada, and we ended the night with LOTS of fortune cookies. Once the kids were in bed I was able to give Z a much needed massage. I had researched some "chinese" techniques to make sure he was able to fully relax and unwind. It was such a great night!

DINOSAURS!!!

2011-03-21T13:08:00.000-07:00

A couple weekends ago we took the kids to another Dinosaur Exhibit. And of course it was a BIG hit! The kids had a blast! I was a little worried that it would be all the same stuff as last year, but I was surprised to find all new dinos. It was a blast, especially since the last time we went Marley was just a couple months old. Both Marley and Boston love Dinosaurs and so they were in Dino Heaven.

ZOO

2011-03-21T13:02:00.001-07:00

We went to the zoo a couple weeks ago. Here are a few of the pictures that Zach took.

St. Patricks Day

2011-03-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

For St. Patrick's Day we headed downtown to the Aloha Tower for a night of Celtic music and Irish dancing. We had a blast watching the dancers and listening to the music. And of course the kids had to stand up and dance too!

Marley Girl

2011-03-21T11:42:00.001-07:00

I wanted to do an update on my Marley Girl. I still am having a hard time believing that she will be turning 2 in just a few months. Time has completely FLOWN by, and I am not liking it one bit. She has a huge attitude, but she was also blessed with a HUGE heart! She really is a sweet girl!Everywhere we go, people stop to let us know what an adorable little girl she is. With her fun little pigtails, her infectious smile, and that shy, but mischievous little personality, she is bound to cause trouble for us when she is a teenager!

Right now, here are a few of her favorite things...Mr. Potato Head
Anything to do with Iron Man, Batman, Superman, or Spiderman
Lego Blocks

Anything with cars, trucks, or trains (oh and of course running everywhere!)

And of course playing with her doll Poesy

I just can't get enough of this little girl! She has stolen my heart and I don't think I will ever get it back! I love you Marley!

Welcome to the Jungle

2011-03-21T11:22:00.001-07:00

On Saturday evening I had a photoshoot and so Zach stayed home and watched the kids for me. Once I was finished up, I came home to this...
I opened the door and saw this...
And then I saw these 2 wild kids
And of course when you are in the jungle, you have to eat meat! Steak, rice, salad, corn, & garlic bread sure hit the spot!

Honestly, Don't I have the BEST husband in the world!!! I don't know of very many guys that would be willing to decorate the whole house to look like a jungle (with "vines" everywhere), dress the kids up, find "jungle" noises to have playing in the background, and have picked out a "jungle" themed movie for us to watch. Zach, you are the best! Thanks for such a fun night. I don't know what I would do without such a fun, loving, adventurous husband! I love you!!!

P.S. How awesome is it, that I already had this outfit in my closet. Something are just meant to be!

Strider Bikes

2011-03-11T15:00:00.000-08:00

Ever since Zach and I saw some advertising for the Strider Bike, we knew we were going to get some for the kids. We decided that the sooner we got them the better, since we would only have them for a few months here in hawaii and then once they finially ship to Utah with the rest of our stuff, they would only have another couple months before winter hits. So we bought them just last week and they arrived yesterday. As you can tell the kids LOVE them!!! If you want to know more about them just go to youtube and type in strider running bikes. So far, they are a BIG success. The kids love them, and I love that they are getting a head start on riding a bike, without all the accidents. Cause as you already know, the last thing we need around here is another accident. After just a few minutes, Boston got the hang of it and was running around with it like crazy. We will have to practice with it everyday so he can get the balancing part down. He loves it!Marley had a blast on her strider! She loves just walking along with it, but I think she likes it even more when she puts her feet up on the little footrest and Zach pushes her around really fast.

TSUNAMI

2011-03-11T14:25:00.000-08:00

Last night was just like every other night, until the earthquake in Japan. An 8.9 earthquake struck right off the coast of japan and a massive tsunami was produced because of it. We received numberous calls from family and friends, making sure that we knew what had happend and that there was a tsunami headed our way. Of course we made sure that we had everything that we needed, water, food, flashlights, batteries, etc. And then we waited. Waiting has to be the worst part. I know that it is better then being caught off guard, but it puts your faith to the test! Thankfully Oahu was spared of any significant damage(although we still are under an advisory until late this evening). We were so grateful for our safety and felt so blessed to have been protected, but then I received a phone call. My cousing Hayden, who is serving his LDS mission in Japan, was currently in Sendai. The exact place that they continually show the massive tsunami tearing through the country, city, and streets. The Church has put out a message that they have been able to get in contact with 5 of the 6 missions that are there in Japan, but there has not been a single ounce of communication with anyone in Sendai. We are praying and have been praying since last night, that Hayden is safe. That the Lord will protect him. Aunt Sandy and Uncle John (Hayden's parents), you are in our prayers. We love your family so much and are absolutely devastated to hear that something so terrible is going on in Hayden's area. Stay strong and know that we will be continually praying for Hayden's safety. We are praying for all those in Japan, and everywhere else that might be hit with this Tsunami. Its crazy to think that Marley has already been through 2 tsunami's and she isn't even 2. I would like to ask everyone to PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray for Hayden and for all those in Japan. The death toll continues to rise and I can only imagine the number that will be announced at the end of all of this. God Bless Us!!!

Another Reason to HATE the Hospital!!!

2011-03-11T14:06:00.000-08:00

I know you are wondering why I posted yet another picture of Boston with his head wrapped up....Well, we went into the doctors today to get Boston's staples removed. We were worried about him not being able to be seen because of the Tsunami, but they were open by the time he had his appointment. We went in and it was supposed to be a quick 1 minute thing where they use a little tool and just pull them out very quickly. No pain, no blood. Well that did NOT happen. Apparently the ER Doctor put the wrong staples into Boston's head. If you look at the picture you can see that they look just like regular staples that clamp shut at both ends. So after prying, yanking, ripping, and pulling, they were finally able to get them out. The ends were wrapped around his scalp, so it literally was tearing his head. They cleaned it all up and decided that it should be ok without having to go back up to the ER to get stitches or anything, but he has to keep it wrapped in order for it to clot the blood and make sure it heals properly. Seriously, how terrible is that! I was beyond FURIOUS!!! Boston was a total trooper with having 2 people hold him down while they tore out the staples. I was completely horrified, especially because Boston's head was NOT numbed or anything. So he felt every single thing. POOR KID!

My New Toy

2011-03-08T16:14:00.000-08:00

I would like to introduce you to my new baby! After months and months of research and trying to find the best prices I finally purchased this little cutie! I am so completely in love with it and I CAN'T wait to try it out. Thanks Zach for being so supportive in my affair with photography! You really are the best!
Here are some pictures taken with the Holga 135BC. I am so excited! Especially about being able to do double exposures!!!

Another Accident

2011-03-04T11:48:00.000-08:00

So it seems like we can't catch a break lately...An ER visit is the last any parent wants for their kids, but 2 ER visits in 1 week, is something I didn't think I would have to deal with. But I did! Boston apparently felt left out, so yesterday he was walking in our living room and slipped on a blanket that was laying on the floor, and smashed his head into the tile, causing it to immediately split open. After cleaning it, I was having a hard time telling how deep it really was. I called Zach and we decided that we would just wait till he got off work(2 hours later) and then decide if we would need to make yet another ER visit. Boston's accident happend right before nap time, and with him having hit his head so hard, I knew that I needed to keep him awake, which was a huge task in itself. When Z got home we decided that we should head to the hospital. This time knowing what to expect, I made sure to pack LOTS of snacks, activities, jackets, blankets, and a book for me to read, since I knew we would be there quite a while. And boy, was I right! 5 hours later we were able to walk out of that terrible place. I seriously never want to see the inside of an ER again(or at least for the next couple months!!!)Boston was a trooper and even had all the doctors and nurses completely entertained and laughing! Boston ended up with staples and a brand new stethescope that his doctor gave him. What is cool, is the fact that it is a real one. Its just one of their disposable ones. He was pretty excited about it!

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Oh, and the day after Marley's accident she had another accident involving a very large 10 year old boucing her off a bridge on the playground, on purpose. She ended up bruising her entire left cheek. Thank goodness it has started to turn yellow and fade. Poor Girl

A Night in Paris

2011-02-28T14:43:00.000-08:00

It all started with a joke. I was upstairs working on the computer and Zach was downstairs working on his laptop. I finished up what I was doing and instead of going down stairs to talk to Zach I sent him an IM. I asked if he would love to go to Paris with me over the weekend and of course he laughed and said, "Sure!". We both had a laugh because at that moment both kids were screaming, we were all tired, and honestly, Zach and I could use a little getaway to a romantic city. So anyways...Zach has been feeling a little down about not being able to go on this deployment, not because he wants to be away from us, but because this was a once in a life time opportunity to see some amazing countries and travel. I have felt terrible about this, but I had no idea what I could do to help. So, the next day was friday and I was thinking, "why couldn't we go to Paris". I then immediately started cutting up boxes that I had just broken down from having to unpack everything I packed last week, since we get to stay for another few months. I quickly drew a picture of the Eiffel Tower and then called my friend to see if I could use some white christmas lights, since Paris is the city of lights. I decorated the house, got the kids all dressed up and I hurry and got ready. Last minute I decided to print Zach and I some airline tickets, just to top it all off. Zach walked in and was completely taken by surprise. I had french music playing on the table with our little speakers, the kids were dancing around and Zach and I couldn't take our eyes off eachother. It was EXACTLY what we needed. We had French Berry Lemonade, LOTS of Steak, salad, corn, rice(I know, not exactly French food, but honestly I don't know how to cook french food) and the kids ate their dinner in the other room, so Zach and I could enjoy our evening in front of the Eiffel Tower, under the lights. After, we put the kids to bed a little early and we sat down to watch my absolute FAVORITE french film, Amelie. To say the night was magical, would be the biggest understatement! It was PERFECT! I know people may think I am a little crazy for doing stuff like this, but I know that it is nights like this that make Zach and I kiss eachother a little longer and hold eachother a little tighter. I love you Zach!!! Thanks for an amazing night in Paris!

Stitches

2011-02-23T14:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning Marley had an accident! She was sitting in a small plastic chair and was trying to reach for a toy that was off to the side. The chair ended up tipping over and Marley smacked directly into the side of our wood bed with the side of her head. Her ear immediately split completely open and I knew that we were going to be making a trip to the E.R.(I really hate that place!!!) With us only having 1 car, I tried calling Zach over and over again. I called every single person's number who has a desk near Zach and NO ONE would pick up. (It ended up Zach was in meetings all morning.)Unfortunately I had just thrown away our ward directory already because we were moving, and so the only number I had was our friends who live down the street. The problem is...they only have 1 car and her husband works on the other side of the island. I decided to call Cassie anyways, and it just so happen that Gabe was off for the day. Can you say AMAZING!!! He took Marley and me to the E.R. while Cassie watched Boston until I could get a hold of Zach to come pick him up. We waited for 2 1/2 hours at the E.R. to be seen and then when we got back there they knew just by looking at her ear that they would need to do 1-2 stitches. They wrapped her up in a sheet with her arms down at her side and then made me hold her down while they numbed her ear and stitched it up. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AWEFUL!!!! Zach and Boss got there just before they started stitching her up and she was screaming like crazy, until.....Boston said her name, and she immediately stopped crying and asked for Boston. It was the most tender moment seeing Boston trying to calm her down and then getting completely choked up himself. He did NOT like seeing Marley so upset and Zach had to walk around the corner so Boss wouldn't get worked up. We are so grateful for such wonderful friends, who are so willing to help! We are also so grateful that nothing worse happend to our baby girl. The bruising is MUCH WORSE today, but I wanted to post the pics that I took yesterday after Marley got out of the bath, while getting on the webcam with family. And even after everything, Marley is one of the happiest little girls I know!

I Believe in Miracles

2011-02-23T13:44:00.000-08:00

Miracles are REAL! I know this for a fact! As you all know, we have been preparing for Zach to leave on a deployment that would leave us seperated for about 10-11 months. We knew how hard it would be, but we were both prepared(as much as you can be) for this new adventure in our life. Me and the kids have tickets that leave in 2 weeks from today and I had packed up almost the whole house, while Zach was out of town. In all accounts, we were ready to go. Zach had recieved his acceptance letter to the University of Utah,and was thrilled, but then realized that he was only accepted for the fall semester of this year. And of course with the deployment, he would not be able to go, so he would have to resubmit his application along with all the fees and wait to hear back from them. All of this = Total Bummer!!! Then the very next day Zach got a phone call.....Zach was told that a guy in the Reserves wanted to transition to active duty and wanted to take Zach's spot for this deployment. We were both in SHOCK! (and still are!) Zach was then able to talk to the housing office to explain the situation(since we already had given our notice and were getting ready to check out of our house soon) and they said that it will be like we had never given them a notice at all. So we get to stay in hawaii, in our house, with Zach, for another 4-5 months. And afterwards we will all be moving back to Utah where Zach will go to the U full time for the next 2 years to get his bachelors degree. So for the next 2 1/2 years we will be together as a family and obviously we are THRILLED!!!

Happy Valentine's Day Zach

2011-02-14T16:18:00.000-08:00

Although today is the day of Love, I had a hard time feeling it. My sweetheart is over 5,000 miles away right now and I am sure missing him!!! I wanted to do something nice for Zach, but it is kind of difficult when you are this far away, so I thought maybe a fun photo session of me and the kids would do the trick. So here it is Zach.....HAPPY VALENTINES DAY BABE! I love you so much. Thanks for everything you do. And thanks for being my Valentine for the 7th year in a row. I love you and am missing you like crazy!

Stay-cation

2011-02-13T02:12:00.000-08:00

We have had a wonderful time the past week. Zach was able to take 2 weeks off of work, but unfortunately the entire first week we were all really sick. But after resting and lots of medication, we finally all felt like getting out of the house. We decided to do a stay-cation and have fun around the island. We started with heading to the Sea Life Park, which is absolutely fabulous! We came here a few months back when my family was in town and the kids loved it so much that we thought it would be worth another trip.

Marley could NOT get enough of this Puffer-Fish! She absolutely LOVED it, if you couldn't tell!

Once again, we feel so blessed and lucky to live in such a beautiful place. We will sure miss it!

Ewa Train

2011-02-13T01:54:00.001-08:00

We have been wanting to take the kids on this train ride for quite a while, but we never had the chance, until recently. We had an absolute BLAST! (if you couldn't tell from all the pictures) The kids loved it and a to top all off, we were able to see some whales while we rode along the coast in the Ko'olina area.

Park Time

2011-02-13T01:39:00.001-08:00

Nothing is better then packing up some snacks and playing at the park for a couple hours with the family!

Whale Watching Cruise

2011-02-12T22:00:00.001-08:00

I did a little research and found an AWESOME deal on a Whale Watching Cruise, so we thought that it would be a blast to take the kids on it. Unfortunately, we had NO idea how sick I would get on a boat. I have never really been on a boat like this and I was very disappointed that I had to spend most of the time either hanging over a toilet in the bathroom or in a corner with my head down. Even with being SO SICK, I think that it was worth it. The kids had a blast, we saw a bunch of whales, and we were together as a family(well...most of the time). This is the boat that we were on.As we were walking to the boat, the kids wanted to look into the water at the fish. Surprisingly the water was EXTREMELY clear and there were TONS of fish right there in the harbor. And even more surprisingly, I spotted this shark just roaming around in the harbor. I couldn't believe it! I wish I had something to compare to this shark's size, because it was actually pretty big! I wouldn't have guessed in a million years that we would see such a big shark hanging out right there in the harbor. Seeing this shark pretty much made the entire trip for Boston and Zach. They thought it was the coolest thing.

We had a little bit of time to kill before getting on the boat, so I took a couple minutes to snap some pictures of my favorite people.

Marley has now become quite the comedian. She loves imitating people. Boston had taken his glasses off and she snatched them right up and started acting like Boss. She is too cute!

Hanging out on the deck waiting for some whales.

The gorgeous views

Alice In Wonderland

2011-01-26T10:54:00.000-08:00

Ever since I was a little girl I have LOVED books. My mom used to take me and my little brother to the library every week to get new books. Even now as an adult, I usually go through 1 book every week or two, depending on how crazy the kids are. Most recently I have fallen back in love with the story of Alice in Wonderland. It is my favorite book right now. I was lucky enough to find this copy of Alice. It is a 1898 copy. It is in absolutely amazing condition considering its age. I am going to be putting it in a shadow box and displaying it with my other collection of vintage books that include 1940 copies of Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, and more Alice in Wonderland books. I am so EXCITED!!!

Dress Up

2011-01-26T10:47:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know us very well, we LOVE to play dress-up. We are always playing pretend. While I was folding clothes the kids came in wanting to dress up. These are what they came up with.