Thad's torturous cake!

Oh I was wanting to make Thad's favorite cake for Cliff just for fun. And since Valentine's went before I could make it I made it Wednesday. I wasn't able to make it just the way Thad's mom made it because, one I'm not a good cook and two since I'm not a good cook I didn't take the recipe with me and relied on my bad memory. I got coconut milk only to find out I was suppose to get coconut creme and a small can of coconut.

So, I improvised with less mixture and more cool whip. Well it is Saturday and I just tried and tried to make myself take the cake on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and even today I'm sitting here knowing I should still pick it up and take it to the neighbors. But I can't. It is too good. This is the best mistake I ever made. I honestly can't remember how good Thad's cake was, but I know it only lasted a short time. I guess I'm trying to pace myself, but 8 slices in four days or maybe more slices, is just not enough. I hate cake now. You can't make me eat more than one slice or one cupcake, but this, I just can't stop myself. Let the pounds roll on.

Cliff even told me whatever you did wrong, do it again. He never gets seconds of my cooking and only a few more of his, so this he lost count how many slices (bowls) he has had and won't let me give it away. Unlike the potato balls he willing took to share at the scouts meeting Wednesday- because we weren't going to eat them-ever again.

I have to admit. I have had cake, at least a fork of it, or more, for Breakfast,, Lunch , uh and even dinner everyday. Cliff has a piece before bed. He tries to make it last, but he just can't beat 2 minutes once he takes a bite. Cake cake I love cake-- Only if it is Thad's Favorite (messed up recipe) Coconut Cake. Good luck if you choose to take on the cake yourself. Beware that there is no going back. Your best bet is to make it for a party and try not to taste it til you get there- that way you don't change your mind. Cause you will want to.

(By the way, this is an old picture from the other day. Sad to say there is much less of it now. So I am glad I took the picture earlier when I knew I had to post this. )

What a wonderful day for the beach!

Well since we weren't able to hit the beach last week because of Kowen's stitches, we finally made it to the military hotel Hale Koa(a hotel we haven't been to at all while here even though we can go to beach and pool for free) to say a farewell Aloha to Cliff's sister Aunt Becky, Uncle Bob, and little Robert.







Nope no pictures of them because I forgot to dig out the camera before they left, but it was fun to see them, chase the birds, swim, and feed Robert lots and lots of Goldfish. We stayed and looked at the interesting canopy trees and went to the pool

Here is where Kandon jumped off of Cliff, and here is where mom said no more, because they weren't out deep enough.

This is where Kowen exaggerated his story of the huge fish this big that he and dad saw out snorkeling. Maybe it was true, cause Cliff said he saw some big ones later, that even scared him when they came out of nowhere.

Here is the pool attempt. They were going to make a hole to put the fish in someone was going to catch and then decided to try and make their own pool. But sadly all the water kept leaving or drying up.

Snorkeling is fun mom. But I don't like to use the snorkel. I also can't swim, so I just ride on dad's back cause it is funner, for me at least.

It really was a nice day for the beach. We are sure gonna miss it in a few weeks. Let's see how many more Saturday trips we can cram into our schedule. Stay tuned.

Happy Valentine's to You Too!

Oh the joy, the torture, and the nastiness of my Valentine's Day.

Well for Valentines this year, Cliff was off so I asked him to go hiking with me. We went to Mariner's Point and it was fun to just get out and be together, although we were on a tight schedule of drop of Kowen to pre-school, get there, hike, and be back to get Kowen in 2 hrs. We were able to go and get almost to the top. Almost I say not because we were late to leave, but because I quit on him with about 5 minutes to the top. I sat on a rock and said got ahead and leave me here. I was done. Totally out of shape, but glad I made it as far as I did. Yes, it took us 45 min to get that far and we needed to leave to get back for Kowen, but mainly because I just couldn't go any farther. It took us that long because Cliff kept stopping to take pictures and I got this one on the way down. Thought we would try and kiss, but I forgot he was shirtless again and all sweaty, so it was pure torture and just nasty. Oh well.

Cliff slipped on the way down and bruised his hand. It hurt so much and swelled that we stopped off after picking up Kowen and got it x-rayed at his office. Nope, just bruised.

He then gave me a great Valentine's present of two shots. Yes, I had done some recycling with the kids on Saturday and nicked my finger on some glass. So, for my present he took me to immunizations and had them give me a tetanus and hepatitus shot. I really felt the love there. I was joking that I hope it wasn't going to hurt much and Kowen lovingly says, "I hope it hurts alot!" So, cute. It certainly did. So much I didn't feel the second one go in, and my arm hurt for 4 days. Love the tetanus present dear. Let's not do it next year though. Chocolate will do.

It was a nice change of pace and great to get out alone. Troublesome as always, but memorable.

Old Temple trip photos

This is an update of an old trip in October to the Laie LDS temple rededication open house. We took the long hour drive and went through the temple. It was interesting with kids and mostly non-members to walk through and smile at how Kowen would rub his feet booties together and make loud noise and all the helpers would smile and giggle as we went by. It is very hard to keep a spiritual mood with the music of booties. We were glad to go and spend time together.

We even got a few pics together, although not the best, they are proof that we went together.

This was the picture hanging in the refreshment tent that I tried to get the kids to stand and make a pretty face for, but this was the best I got, so I gave up. Well, more proof we went though. Ha.

Kandon's Art Show

Well it was Art Show time at school. Kandon was in an art club that met once a week after school. Although sometimes he chose to play other than create art, he did pretty well and sure enjoyed showing his stuff off and getting cookies afterwards. Kandon's fish rubbing with black ink is the rainbow one three up from his head or can say center one second row from top.

So, we saw lots of art from model clay, black and white dots,watercolors, transparency, and quilt style making with paper.

And yes he is pointing to his quilt art of blue and green while the other kids act as background art.

This is his clay making project that is unfinished because he skipped the painting day. Oh well.. I think it is a bear.

And here is the finale shot of all three kids. I thought it was going to be cute, but it was kinda hard for Kilee to stand above Kandon he is growing up. We are so proud of him and the work he did. We are also glad that the curtain didn't fall from the kids being awkward. And a little embarrassed that we had to have someone tell us not to touch the curtain. Well if ya can't put on a play on a stage with a curtain, why have a curtain or a stage. Oh well. Just kidding. May the art projects live on and take center stage.

Makapuu Lighthouse Hike

A few weeks ago we finally got out to go on a hike together. For our first family hike we chose the easy paved Makapuu Lighthouse Trail Hike. We got all dressed in tennis shoes, water, backpack, and snacks, a toy binocular in order to try and see any humpback whales traveling by. We were able to see several far away and the binoculars were not much help. We did see tails, spouts shoot water, and Cliff saw one jump out of water, but I missed it. Well as you can see, once we got there Cliff decided to take the opportunity to get some sun in and the boys were not far behind.



We also didn't get off without the stroller, because Kowen likes to still ride in it whenever he can. I was just glad Cliff decided he'd push it all the way up and down. It was a nice hike together and we were able to walk with friends who just happened to show up at the same time and their dad took his shirt off too, so I didn't feel so weird walking with Cliff being the only guy shirtless, plus the boys.

So, We made it all the way up and got to see the views, take pics, have a treat, and well walk down. You don't get to go to the actual lighthouse without take a special skinny trail. The kids wanted to go on the skinny whinding trails that led to where the people were fishing and swimming next to the mountain if I can call it that, but it was just too unsafe for mom. I mean they complained when mom made them hold her hand as they leaned over the oh so many edges to see what was down there and made jokes as to where would be the safest spot to fall off if they were to fall off. Mom voted for the flatter cactus infected area as opposed to the drop off edge. So, over all it was a nice time and we can't wait to go somewhere else to explore before we move. Let the adventures begin.

Stitches Again!

Yes, Stitches again. It has been about 10 wks or so since Kowen had stitches in his ankle for kicking glass in flip flops. Just trying to do what the big kids were doing in tennis shoes. Not that anyone was suppose to be kicking glass in the first place.

But then yesterday afternoon Kowen decides to ride sisters electric scooter. Mom and dad didn't get him one bc he was four and well it goes 10 miles an hour. But Kowen is our dare devil and anything the older ones can do I can too is his subconscious motto. Just as he was 18 mths going down hill on a razor scooter, just as he could ride a bike without training wheels by 3, and swing on a swing by himself by 3, flips on the trampoline-look ma no hands- no problem. Well a week after Christmas he was driving the electric scooter by himself doing figure 8's and hitting no cars so, I let him go as always. I mean dad was outside mowing the lawn, thankfully his training was canceled or he would have been 45 min away at the time. Then I hear him calling me from outside and know something is up already. I open the sliding door to find him carrying my 4 yr old who is coated from head to toes in blood. Much more than his poor ankle. All be I wasn't there for that either at a friends house. Anyways. This boy according to two other neighbors who were watching my child at the right moment, said he was going full blast-which could have been 10 miles and hr- and ran smack dab into a basketball pole. Yep, gashed up Kilee's scooter and his right eyebrow. What went through my head was NO, NOT the Face , Not the Face. My cute surfer boy has scared up his face. The gash started above his eyebrow, went through it, and below his eyebrow. Poor kid wasn't even crying cause it hurt, or because he was covered in blood, but he was crying and begging dad not to give him stitches. Yep, He remembered how much the shot and litacane medicine burned.

Not the best pic of him. He was actually better, but when I said take a pic he put on his saddest face. haha

He took it well, no wiggling , just pleading for dad to stop sticking him with the needle. Ohh and the don't cut my eye, please don't stitch my eye (although it was funny bc he thought he was gonna lose his eye or something) it was much harder to distract him with a dvd player when they have all this stuff over him and all. Well I wanted to go to the hospital and have a plastic surgeon make sure my baby wasn't gonna have a crooked eyebrow. Cliff of course just took him to his office and stitched him up bc he knew that the hospital would just be a 3 plus hr wait. I mean what kind of people leave a bleeding child for 3 hrs. But I am glad Cliff persisted bc when we took him to pre-school stitched patched and black eyed, there was another mom there who said she went to the hospital er yesterday and found the room was full no seats and people had been waiting 4 hrs. She of course took her bleeding son 30 min away to the other military clinic and got right in and had 2 staples put in her sons head. Kowen got 3 stitches, I wanted more but they kept assuring me with facial scars you want minimal stitches so it looks cleaner. Of course I was like, but I can still see a whole in his head. Anyways, long story short Kowen did it again and this will not be the last set, probably last set dad is allowed to do quickly for a few yrs. We were thinking though if we had stayed on the other part of the island that we probably would have taken him more times already. It being a double culdesac hill and all, ending in a stone wall, steps and a major street of those steps, who knows. Thank heaven for little boys who are strong, brave, and well even independent sometimes. Just wish it wasn't the face.

And it was interesting to be out there while I took pics and my husband scrubbed the ground and the drops on the way down the sidewalk. Crazy stuff, but all is well. Kowen doing back headers on the bed and just feeling fine. Guess no concusion either. Tough, crazy, reckless, lovable, cutie pie..

Diaper Dog

This is diaper dog as the kids called her. And yes as you can see the tail is not up but out to the side, bc well I wasn't going to make an extra trip off base for doggy diapers, so well she is in size 3 diapers, which do not fit anymore since we shaved her.
This is the now picture. Shaved, clipped sparatically on legs, and ears shaved. Not so cute.

This is the before with thick matted tangled ears.

So mom says grow hair grow, at least on the ears and top of head so I can put her hair up again. Poor Bella.

Dogs days are not so good lately

I don't know how yal dog lovers do it. I have to admit I am better at giving our dog Bella attention, but it sure is hard lately. Especially with her in heat and having to wear diapers bc well that's just disgusting. We didn't fix her because at first I thought we would let her have a chance to have a set of puppies and the kids get the experience, but now, uh mom's not so sure and all dad says is " I like puppies." Yeah that is bc he is gone all day and doesn't have to clean up the mess except once. Anyways, besides the heat thing, she got so matted in her hair we had to shave her. Yes our problem for not brushing her daily,, but really. She is not looking cute. Kilee calls her cute, but no way. We shaved and randomly cut the matts on her leg hairs, that when I took her in to the vet, bc she stinks even after a bath and after 5 mths Cliff is finally coming around, even after the groomers say she stinks. Ha. Oh yeah I was talking abt the vet and his assistant that kinda whispered to each other when they saw how matted her ears were. I just had to smile and say, you can shave them if you know how. Well bc she had just been shaved a few days earlier and hadn't been outside much because of the heat thing, she didn't stink so much and the doc just said here are some pills she could be allergic to lots of things outside and here is a special shampoo that she could have a gland issue. Well, I'm not a doctor but if I am doing both these things and you want to see me in a month, how are you going to know which one it is doc. Anyways so this expensive dog is getting more expensive and to top it off, she, just this week Ate threw the electric scooter cord, the printer cord, and the cord on my ab lounge exercise machine. She has plenty of toys to chew on, but oh well. So my desire to not take her when we move is still there, but how can I take her from the kids. We will see. Dog lovers, more power to ya. I know some weeks are better than others. My phone is dead of course bc I always forget to charge it, so later I will post the not so cute picture of her I took earlier. The Shih zhu look is gone when ears shaved and she looks more yorkie or terrier.