Out like a fat kid in dodgeball.

For Kawika's birthday, we had some family over to Grandma and Grandpa Steinbrink's house for a cook-out and cake. Grandma Lorna made this wonderful Sponge Bob cake.
He loves to blow candles out. I think he blew out all of the candles at the wedding last week. This time he was actually allowed to!

It was a great party with good food, nice people and good loot for the birthday boy. He enjoyed it for sure!

Monday, John and Grandpa Steve went shooting and took Kawika to play at the Compound. The girls had plans to go shopping with Nani. This is what we came home to:
AH-dorable.

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. Now it's back to work (only for two more days for me!!!)

Happy Birthday Kawika!

Before Kawika, I didn't know
...just how much my skin could stretch.
...my own strength
...how fast a child could grow.
...how much the joy multiplies with each child.
...how much little boys love their mommys.
...exactly what mischief looks like sparkling in the eyes of a child.

The Weekend of Tootie (Part 2)

Here's Iwa waiting for her queue to go on. Can you find Kawika in this picture? He's supposed to be standing with Iwa.
Yup, there he is in the maid of honor's arms. Bless his heart, it was a LOOONNNGGG day.
There's a famous story about John as a 3 or 4 year old at Tootie's parent's wedding. Basically, John was supposed to be the ring bearer and it turned out similarly. Family tradition, I guess.

Iwa, however, performed her duties flawlessly. She even stood patiently through the whole ceremony.
Meanwhile, Leilea was all gums. THIS is what my kids look like when they're rested.
The bride and her father, Uncle Phillip.The wedding party. It was a nice wedding and a really fun reception. It's been a long time since I've gotten to boogie, but we took full advantage. The kids even got in the middle of the dance floor and danced their hearts out. I didn't get pictures, but I hope someone did. It was awesome.

Sunday we just said goodbye to Uncle Sam and tried to spend as much time as we could with Krissy before she goes back to the OC.

Good times.

The Weekend of Tootie (Part 1)

What a weekend!! John's cousin, Tootie's (whose real name is Elise) wedding was this past Saturday and the kids were in the wedding. Because of this, we got to see some of our favorite people who live far away. Also because of all of this, it was the most chaotic weekend we've had in a long, long time.

Friday was the rehearsal soon after John and I got home from work, with the rehearsal dinner following. The kids were troopers for that but we didn't get to stay for the dinner because it hadn't started when we left at 8 (that's past their bedtimes and trust me- these Frisky kids will let you know when it's past their bedtimes).

Saturday morning I went to help everyone decorate. They got married out in the forest they live just down the street from. It was a really nice place and beautifully decorated, thanks to James and Sam. Here's Uncle Sam helping the photographers with the bridesmaid's bouquets. I never got a picture of James that day. It probably would have been a blur, anyway. He was all over the place.
John brought the older kids to the park around 2 and they played and we waited around for when it was time for Iwa to get her hair done and for the kids to get dressed for pictures. My mom graciously offered to keep Leilea during this time and just bring her up to the wedding. Keep in mind, though, that these other two hadn't had naps. Sleep is important to these kids- or more accurately, everyone around them.

We got dressed, took pictures and were ready (as we could be) for the wedding at 6:30. Here's Iwa with the bride and bridesmaids waiting for pictures. She was very excited to be with the big girls and have a fancy dress and such an important job. I am so proud of her.
It was a long day.

Actually, while all of this was going on, Kawika was passed out in some man's truck cab while Grandpa Tony was talking to some friends. When John and I went around to check on him, the men assured me they hadn't given him THAT much wine. Nice.Kawika doesn't do well with cat naps and tends to wake up in a worse mood than he went down in. More to follow........

We're a free circus.

Since I've started this blog, I have carried my camera much more. It's times like these, I'm glad I did. This was taken at McDonald's. I thought it was a pretty good backdrop.This next one was taken seconds before he slapped her in the face with all of his might. By the way, he'll be two next week.Leilea has started feeding herself and she loves it. Great. Another independent, strong willed daughter. Just what this house needs.That's not a french fry, by the way. I try to delay the inevitable as long as possible. It's actually a fruit puff but make no mistake about it- she knows she's missing something.

John has actually been eating solid food for quite some time.
This was taken on the way home from church this past Sunday. Iwa and Kawika are going to be the flower girl/ring bearer in a wedding this coming weekend (cue the circus music). A few months ago, Iwa was given a cute little book about wedding traditions and how to be a flower girl. It always surprises me when she's interested in things like this because she's normally not that kinda girl.

Pockets

Sunday mornings are always a blur. It doesn't seem to matter what time we wake up or how prepared I am the night before- it's madness. There have actually been a few times we've gone to church 30 minutes late or have even gotten all dressed up and at the last minute disaster strikes and we don't even make it. This was not one of those Sundays. I had time to feed the kids...
...and take pictures, so that Kawika could practice his best LL Bean catalog model pose. He's recently discovered his pockets (and got a fancy non-mommy real haircut).
Earlier that week Kawika wanted some bubble bath. We don't use it every time but it stays there by the tub. One night, Kawika begged and begged for some bubble bath and I said no. I stepped out to get Iwa into the tub. When I came back, the tub was full of bubbles, the water was brown-ish (the color of the "motor oil" bath bubbles, although we're no strangers to poo in the tub- just not this time) and one really happy, really slimy little punk. When I fished the bottle out of the water to see how he opened it, this is what I found:
We still don't know how he did it.

A smile for Monday

Random thoughts

When things your parents said (that you swore you would never say when you become a parent) come hurling out of your mouth, you understand your parents in a whole new light.

I have to do something creative every day or I get down- and not in a George Brown kinda way.

The fact that Iwa has started drawing for pleasure makes me so happy. The artist part of me thinks there is no greater work of art than those that my creations create. It's fascinating.

I'm getting older. I knew this for sure when John and I had an in-depth conversation about how "kids" these days listen to horrible music and need haircuts. It was a surreal and defining conversation.

Be thankful because something that is annoying to you may be a blessing to someone else. Example: another teacher was complaining yesterday because the weather has gotten cooler and she liked the hot weather. I had just been thinking about how grateful I was because my a.c is broken and we've been nice and cool the whole time.

Worrying about thing is like running on a treadmill.

Lightning.

Last night was an interesting night at the Frisky household!

As I was laying Kawika down for bed, we were listening to the muted pitter-patter of spring rain on the roof. Then, all of a sudden, Kawika's room was lit up bright as day with a blinding orange light and there was a loud explosion from the back yard.

Lightning struck the house. Actually, we can't quite figure out where it struck exactly but it was close enough to fry some electronics and obliterate our air conditioner. Awesome.

Please, someone, when I'm old and the kids have grown and gone, remind me to look back on this time and see if it's funny then. Chances are, it won't be.

I was hoping at least it would hit something we need a new one of but have to save large amounts of money to purchase... a roof, the fence... of course not. (this is only my thought after I know everyone is fine and our house isn't burning to the ground- I am grateful)

We called the Fire Department and the checked the house for any hidden fires and everything checked out fine.

Leilea was already in bed and slept through the commotion until we had to evacuate the house. She went right back to bed after. Kawika... well, he was just about asleep the whole time but he did like the giant red truck parked in front of the house. Iwa, however, was pretty freaked out.

She kept talking to "us" but really it was for herself. No one was upset but her, but she kept telling us, "Those were the firemen, guys. They're in big suits, but they're not going to hurt us. They're helpers. Everything is okay. My swing set is fine, my big tree is fine. This is not scary at all... " She was really talking to herself. She always does this when she gets nervous and I think it's a great coping mechanism.

Just talk yourself into sanity.

I might try it sometime.