koa quotes

today koa counted the sugar cookies we were baking for his preschool class.

mama: good counting, koa!

koa: thanks. i know my numbers because i count them.

mama: knowing your numbers is a good thing. you're going to need them when you get bigger.

koa: i know. and i'll keep counting until i can count really big numbers like......... seventeen.

i could eat him up, i love him so.

punkin pickin

yesterday, koa's preschool class had a field trip to jackson's orchard. the boys had a fabulous time. it was cute to see koa interact with all the girls in his class (only 3 boys and 7 girls). jackson's has just added a giant, 4-chute, 2-story slide to their set-up and the boys loved it. really, really loved it. it was fun to see their fall displays and made me want to finally get out the halloween decorations. i think i'll let james and the kids put them up tomorrow morning, while i'm at a church activity. can't wait to see what they come up with! (i'm sure it will be blog-worthy.)

we have ourselves a winner!

congratulations to kim & company - you are our winners! since you'll be here in a few weeks, we'll just hold onto your winnings and give them to you when you arrive.

on another note - how do topics like "what happens if a parent dies" come up during what is supposed to be a routine discussion of our fire escape plan? i guess i should've seen it coming, but i was so not prepared. kalei's teacher assigned each child to come up with an emergency plan with their family, and we discussed ours last night. we covered all the bases: stop, drop, & roll, not to open a hot door, it's okay to rip/kick out the window screen to get out in an emergency, where to meet in the back/front yard, etc. then koa looks at me with his bambi eyes and asks, "what happens if you die?" how do you keep the emotions in check at that point?! i tried so hard, but a few tears leaked out. i explained that we have a large, wonderful family, and that there would always be someone to take care of them, and that families are forever, so it wouldn't be a permanent situation. i am so immensely grateful for the Atonement, that allows us to repent and inch our way towards being like Him, and be with Him with our loved ones if we're worthy. what comfort and perspective this gives us that everything really will be okay. we are so loved!

a collage that deserves its own post and a giveaway!

i really did try to control my squealing over the tiny, adorable cars in italy. really, i did. but they are so cute!! (where cute is two syllables, i.e. "key-oot!") remember when i wanted a vintage mini cooper? well, now i think it's been replaced by a vintage fiat cinquecento. it has a 2-cylinder motor - can you imagine?! they are the ultimate bubble car. (btw, there's one for sale on ebay in spanish fork, utah, so anyone out there who wants to surprise me for halloween/christmas/mother's day, etc., please feel free.) they are so scrumptious, and pocket-size. perfect!!

i also loved this blue bike down here in the corner, and the red vespa. (i told kalei to get in the picture because of the leonardo da vinci poster [he's her favorite inventor], but really it was for the vespa.)

on to the giveaway!
this is our 200th post! wow!! so, to celebrate, feel free to leave a comment and we will randomly select a winner at family home evening on monday night, and send out something extra-special just for you - it's that easy! good luck!

collages galore

here are a few collages of my favorite photos from our trip! to begin, we have some photos of interesting italian fashion choices:
(in case you can't tell, some of the birds in the bottom left photo have feathers and/or feet still attached - yum!)
(oh, and i believe the shoes on the bottom right are being marketed at athletic shoes. very practical.)
(also, i'm bummed that my picture of kalei and i with the snakeskin-print toilet and bidet didn't turn out. it really left an impression.)

a few signs that cracked me up:
(i especially love how the children are running - they know how italian traffic is!)

a number of the fabulous doorways:

and a selection of the fabulous windows/railings:

some of the fabulous streetviews:
(everything was fabulous, can you tell?)

we had such a wonderful trip!!!! i hope kalei will remember the things she saw and experiences she had - i know i'll never forget.

last day

it's our last day in italy. *sniff* bethany and i are off to an outdoor market and a junk shop - can't wait!!

we have loved our experience, but i sure miss my boys. thanks, james, for supporting and encouraging me in this!!! and, thanks, bethany & company, for such a fabulous stay!!! same time next year?

Time at the Park

So it rained all yesterday, but today is perfect (go figure). After being cooped up inside, we (and everybody else) took advantage of the sunshine and went to the park. The boys totally enjoyed it, and Koa was great about staying with Kawelo, or getting him to follow him to where he wanted to play (usually the big twisty slide). There was one incident ... the boys went and hopped on the merry-go-round, which had kids already on it and a "responsible" adult pushing it around and round. As soon as they hopped on, the lady started pushing as fast as it could go - it didn't take Koa too long before he said "I think this is enough..." at which time she did stop the ride and let Koa off. I was not fast enough in getting Kawelo off before she started the spinning merry-go-round of death back up at warp speed. Another (older) kid jumped off, and seeing what fun that was, Kawelo started to follow suit ... luckily this woman had enough brain cells to stop the contraption, so that when he did hop off it wasn't pulling the centripital force used in astronaut training. Kawleo jumped off and started running toward Koa and the big twisty slide ... ever been to a minor league baseball game where they do the dizzy bat race? Well, Kawleo did his own version of that favorite between-innings entertainment, only it wasn't so funny. He ended up eating wood chips, and has a nice little scrape on his leg. However, as we were at the park on a perfect day, he didn't have time for crying - he just dusted himself off and went to catch up with Koa. Ahh, good times.