eye-opening

i just read this online - a quick read, but really thought-provoking. reading it, i wanted to run and hug my kiddos, but also show them how other children around the world live - not to scare them, but just to widen their perspective a bit. i think we'll plan a family home evening lesson around it, and include lots of discussion.

edited to add:
p.s. i want to say that this seems to be a collection of extremes - at least i didn't see any examples from the u.s. that i felt represented my kids' rooms (especially that princess' room from kentucky - wow - so NOT kalei's room). still, though, my heart aches for the kids that live in these extremes, that this is their reality. i want my kids to be aware - not scared or insecure, hence the loads of discussion - but aware that we are lucky, and we can help.

6!

this little man is now 6!

WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?!

a week or two ago, koa & i found these christmas poppers on clearance at pier 1 - he thought they'd be fun for his birthday, and i thought they'd be cheap entertainment for $2.

(he was really excited to open them, if you can't tell.) woohoo! nothing screams "happy birthday!!" like tissue paper crowns and british jokes. the kids loved it. especially the slight explosion when the poppers were popped.

the day after his birthday, we celebrated at chuck e. cheese! it was our family's first time at this interesting establishment. the kids had a fabulous time. they loved the pizza and the games and redeeming their tickets for prizes. we won't be back until james & i are fully recovered from this time - it'll be awhile. koa went to tae kwon do on saturday and told his instructor that his birthday was february 10th and 11th - chuck e. cheese was that exciting!

the top picture is from koa's birthday (5 days ago). the bottom picture is from yesterday. we asked koa to not ever ask for snow on his birthday again. he was unrepentant and enjoyed their week off of school to the hilt.

we love you, koa!! happy birthday, little man!

happy valentine's day!

the kids love getting balloons for special occasions (and i love the dollar tree's balloons), so we sweetened today with some lovey mylars, little debbie valentine cakes in lunches, and dinner served on (thrift store) china with blue kool-aid. do they look thrilled? cause, believe me, they were. really. okay, maybe i was the one super excited about the china, and the kids were psyched about the kool-aid. what is it about fancy dishes that makes everyone happy about what they're eating? note to self: MUST TRY THIS MORE! we hope you all have had a day filled with love and a few pleasant surprises!

p.s. the heart shots are for bethany - since kawelo has us quarantined with his hacking cough, i can't have her over to show her the magic i made with some paper mache hearts - i really love how they turned out! yay - decorations i'm happy to keep!

deal alert!

good morning!!

go check out this post for a fabulous code for $2 in free mp3 songs from amazon!

free music!! love it!!

koa quotes

scene: koa is sprinkling valentine's nonpareils onto brownie bites after mama douses them with dipping chocolate (TOTALLY delicious and super easy, by the way)

koa: i'm on the fast side.

mama: the fast side of what?

koa: you know, how some people are on the fast side, and some are on the slow side?

mama: that's good to know. which side am i on?

koa: the slow side.

thanks a lot, little man! (he's just so cute i want to smoosh him!)

Evidence that I also went to Hawaii

Koa crabbing (we caught 6!)

At Waimea Bay (we didn't jump off of the rock - on account of the huge waves)

At the Polynesian Cultural Center with a big Easter Island statue

If you look hard, you can see a giant sea turtle amongst the rocks

At the Hawaii temple with Auntie Kei, and cousins Ilima and Anela

More Good Times

Went to the BYU-H basketball game last night

Aloha Stadium Swap Meet this morning

And Matsumoto's Shave Ice on the way home!