Toledo....

We spent some time this summer about 2 1/2  hours north of us with my brother Chance and his wife Jessica. They live in Toledo and by this fun beach/camping place called Maumee Bay.I think  its actually lake michigan. It was a  Fun relaxing day on day on the beach. =)

Not even  a week after we were there is when the deadly Tornados hit Toledo. SO many homes and buildings and school were destroyed. I believe 7 people were killed and while all that was going on Chance was out risking his life in the crazy weather because thats what news reporters do, its crazy!  A couple days after the Tornadoes hit Chance went to Haiti for a week so I went and stayed with Jess all by myself for a few days. They actually cancelled church that weekend I was there and ask that we go volunteer and help clean up after all the devastation.  So thats what Jessica and I did. It was so sad to see some peoples house just GONE. IT was crazy sad.... I didn't do much help in the grand scheme of things but it felt good to be there with so many other people  and be able to help out a little bit.

summer trip #1

In May we went on a little road trip to Nauvoo Illinois. Some of our best friends from Utah met us there.  They are actually more like family since I have litterally known them since birth. I grew up with Heather and Kiessa and our moms were friends before I was even born. Now my kids are getting to grow up with Kiessas kids and I am pretty sure Noah is going to marry Kendra! They are inseperable when they are together. She actually got to come spend a week all by herself with us this summer but I will post on that later.

We rented a vacation house that sat right on the Mississippi river and it was so beautiful!  I really love Nauvoo it is such a pretty town and we had a really good time with really good friends.  :)

BFF's

So here I go trying to play catch up! We had such a fun busy summer and I really wasn't in the mood to blog to be honest. Then every time I thought about blogging I didnt even know where to begin! So here I go starting at the beggining of summer.
Our friend's the Mcquiveys moved to Ohio 4 years ago for Optometry school and Rebecca and I became fast friends because she had alittle boy Noahs age whos name is Dash. When we met them Noah and Dash were only 1 1/2 years old. They litterally grew up together for 4 years and were the best of friends! Well Rebeccas husband Chris graduated and got a job in AZ so they up and left Ohio. Noah and Eli were so bummed Dash was leaving so we decided to have one last really fun time with him so we had our very first friends sleepover party with him. They had so much fun sleeping in a tent in the basement, getting all sugar high and staying up till midnight! They were party animals! :) 
The boys have been talking about Dash a lot lately so that is what motivated me finally to post this.  We miss you Mcquivey family!!

Funny story......

Here is the story..... If you know me than you know I always have a cat or 2. I prefer 2 so they have a friend... 6 months ago our cat Pumpkin just vanished..We had had her for 2 years and I hate to think about what happened to her. In our backyard there is woods that I know  deer, opossum and racoons live there and I dont know what else lives back there, but I think something that can hurt my kitties...I love being able to live in the city and occasionally see a deer or racoon in our backyard..The woods are only 1/2 mile wide or so but apparantly go somewhat far west and east..

ANYWAY.........Our FAVORITE cat ever Charlie dissapeared and had been missing 5 or 6 days. Noah cried anytime he thought about  him gone. Eli was sad but never cried.. I was also feeling lonely becasue Charlie was very much my lap buddy and extra sleeping partner (at the foot of the bed).. After thinking for a minute  I was sure charlie was gone for good so I  decided to get 2 kittens that were syblings and NEVER EVER let them outside! I found 2 little baby GIRL sisters and snatched them right up! I am not the only female anymore!! =) ....This i

s where it gets funny... I swore up and down a long time ago that I would never have more than 2 cats.......... Not even 24 hours after we adopted our new kitties we found our missing cat Charlie!! Noah and Eli were out riding there bikes and Noah ran inside yelling " I see charlie!" ....Sure enough there he was 2 houses down, scared and starving to death.. He let me pick him right up and he came inside and chowed down on food for a good 15 minutes.... He was not happy that within the 6 days he was gone I brought home 2 new kittys and some new couches that he was not use to sleeping on!!! He stayed downstairs for a few days mad at me... =(   ..... Well as if my house was not full enough with a husabnd, 3kids, a cat (charlie), a dog (rusty) and a  frog (abby), I have an additonal 2 cats whose names are the girliest names I could think of...Daisy and Lilly... =)

This is Kai totally loving on the kittens..I didnt even tell him to do this but he just kept giving them kisses, which are opened mouth of course! Lol

I love this picture of Kai and his Mischevious look he has..The kittens are terrified of him, because he mawls then to death!!! LOL

Look what Eli can do!

Eli walked up to me and said " I don't need my training wheels anymore mom. I can be like Noah!" So Kenta took them off and sure enough within about 10 minutes of practicing he had it down. I am one proud momma. =)
Way to go buddy!

My New Life

This video clip has been everywhere the past week, but I really do think everyone should check this out....REGARDLESS of your religion! It is a very TOUCHING and INSPIRING story.... Although it is not just a story to Stephanie Neilson, this is HER LIFE..... I read her blog on a daily basis and hope everyone will at least check out this clip of her even if you dont read her blog.... Her blog and writing makes me think of the really IMPORTANT things in life. If you want to check out her blog then click on the "I READ NIE NIE" button on the side of my page.

Happy Mothers day!

My friend just showed me how to make these collages, and I was having fun doing them so  I am posting two in honors of Mothers day of me  and my little men! =)

I love being a mom to these 3 boys. They make my life so crazy and chaotic and I love it! (most of the time).... I can't and imagine my life not being a mom.  Thanks Noah, Eli, & Kai for choosing me to be your momma.

Happy Mothers day to all you mommys out there!

Lego madness

With a house full of boys we have a house full of legos. Most of the time they look like a big mess like the photo above. Last week we went to Easton mall and found this awesome lego store. Of course we couldn't leave with out scoring some new legos. Can I just say I have a love hate relationship with these little tiny things. They cause a huge mess, I am always cleaning them up and stepping all over them.....

BUT they are also HOURS of entertainment. These boys LOVE to play with them!Thank you to the man or women for inventing these annoying, yet very entertaining toys. YOU ROCK! Thanks to these legos I can actually cook dinner with out 3 little people all up in my space.. =)

Smores'

I have been such a blogging slacker. I have good reasons though. I have always been a wannabe photographer. I finally got a nice, fancy camera and have been practicing a lot. My friend Kristen who is a photographer and a photoshop genius has been helping me out. She used to teach photoshop classes and is giving me one on one classes. So that is what I have been up to. One day in the near future maybe I will start posting some pictures that I have been working on. Anyway......I am so happy winter is over and we can start enjoying the outside world more! =)
After Kai went to bed the other day we ventured outside ,made ourself a little fire and made smores with strawberry marshmellows. YUM!

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Easter Season

Better late then never posting these. =)
Easter time was fun as usual. Full of awesome weather, family, Easter day barbecue, egg hunts, coloring eggs, and of course Easter baskets.

Eli's Awesomeness

Just about everyday Eli models some very nice outfits ,makeup and accessories for me..He is seriously so funny! I just flipped through some picture folders from the past year and here is some of his awesomeness!

This is Eli and his buddy Ethan...I am sure this was Eli's idea.

This last one is my favorite. =)

Goodbye Curls

A few months ago Kai's hair started to show signs of curls and I was so excited! I have always dreamed of having a curly haired kid. I thought with my husband being Japanese and having the straightest hair ever I would have absolutely no chance of that happening. I dont have curly hair but my brother and some other extended family members do.
Well the problem is Kai's hair is really only curly after bath time. Then he takes a nap or goes to bed and wakes up with mostly straight hair again. I kept holding out that it would turn more curly because he looked so freaking cute for the short periods of time when it was actually curly. Well, people strated commenting at church or even the grocery store that its starting to look like he needs a haircut. Finally I gave in and I am a little disapointed that I did. I cut all my boys hair and it was haircut day for Kenta, Noah and Eli so I decided to do Kai's also.

BEFORE:




AFTER:


He doesn't look like my baby anymore, he looks like a little boy!
What do you think...Curly (even though its not always curly), Mohawk, or flat?
Whatever though..... he is still such a stud! =)