Cold Snow and Hot Chocolate

Okay. So in reality it was actually slushy snow and lukewarm chocolate...the snow because that's what we had to play in the day it worked into the schedule and the drink because none of them can stand actual "hot" chocolate. They were so stinkin' adorable, and I'm glad I remembered to take pics, now that my photographer moved out. (We miss you!)



Look carefully at this next picture. At first glance it seems to be a snapshot of someone making a snow angel. But it's actually a moment captured in time of Malia throwing a snowball right on Line's face as she made the snow angel.


Eli made this one...

See the snowball coming my way? I must say I was such a great sport. Playing in the snow is NOT my thing, and I know I've mentioned before that I was always the one inside making the hot chocolate while Daddy was the one playing and yucking it up out in the snow. So you should all know that double duty looks pretty interesting, at least from my point of view. One second outside, the next running inside. I wish I'd thought to count exactly how many times I ran up and down the stairs, grabbing various items they requested and making various drinks and such. It was worth it though, seeing their cute selves frolicking and squealing, with the occasional shouting at each other when they didn't like the snowballs being thrown at them, even though they all did their own fair share of the throwing.

Malia was determined to get me good...let's just say I'm glad her aim was off that day.


She fell to the ground in anguish at her inability to hit me in the face.

Reloading...



Eli thought she'd get a better angle on her snowball attacks.

Charlie sat at the screen the entire time, wishing she was right in the middle of things.

Because I kept going in and out, Boo was confused as to why I wouldn't allow her to come in and out as well. This was her way of letting me know she wanted to be done.

That is, until I gave her a sippy cup filled with her apple juice, which I swear runs through her veins. Who plays in the snow with a sippy cup? She was thrilled to have it though, and it made my life easier for a moment.

Malia orchestrated the snowman building, of course. And it's no surprise who she made the snowman into. I loved it, and the other girls got right on in with the action. Lose DOES have gloves, if you see her little red hands, it's that she just keeps not putting them away when she's asked to, and so couldn't find them at this exact moment. If you look closely you can see the snowball that Malia put in Naki the snowman's hand...






This next series of pics I know look all alike, but I put them all in this post because if you look closely, Eva and Eli's facial expressions change from one to the next, and it made me laugh looking at it. When I asked Malia to lay down in the front, Ane collapsed over like she'd been shot or something and we couldn't convince her whatsoever that only Malia needed to lay down for the picture since she was in the front. Thus, the reason she's laying flat on her back in all of these pictures.







Hope you all get to play in the snow and have some lukewarm chocolate and create fun memories too.

December Babies

In addition to all the crazy fun that December brings due to the holidays, we are lucky enough to add a bit more craziness with two December babies, Anamalia and Evaloni. I know it's so cliche to say that it's shocking when you realize how quickly time flies by us all, but to Naki and I it really does feel like just yesterday when these babes were born and we met them for the first time. Being a parent is our greatest blessing hands down and it's always such a joy to celebrate the years since they were born. Here are pics from various days when we celebrated their birthdays, from special breakfasts, decorating their own cakes and cupcakes, and birthday parties. We love you girls immensely, and pray you feel that everyday. Happy Birthday girls!

2011

No one is more surprised than I am to see happy faces on these munchkins after what has been the most difficult year of our lives. 2010 brings mixed memories and emotions for me, and it is a complete miracle that after all of it I am starting to see true glimpses of happiness on their faces. Here's to hoping that 2011 is manageable, that it brings us closer to who we want and need to be, and that we will be able to say with complete honesty that we made every effort to honor the God who gave us life and gave us each other. Happy New Year everyone.

Caroling

A little bit of Caroling love from our family to yours...

Bread and Turkey

A friend asked me last night if I experience guilt as part of this grieving experience. And my answer was a resounding "Yes!", for more things than you can even imagine.

One of the areas in which I experience guilt is in the way I was socially while Naki was alive. I know I've already written about it before in a separate entry, but being social is not my thing, and it IS Naki's thing. As a result there were many times when Naki would have preferred to be out, as a family, socializing and getting together with his friends and family, but knew how difficult it was for me to do, so didn't. Don't get me wrong...he wasn't some tortured individual that lived unfulfilled because I held him back. There were many many times when I knew something was important to him to be involved in and so I'd go along with it as a supportive friend and wife. But I do know that he would've done more of that sort of thing if I'd been game for it. Only now, as I've been forced to be the mouthpiece for our family and have been pushed and shoved to be social in a way that I've never been comfortable doing, do I see the benefits that he'd realized all along. No one knows better than God and I how I wish I could change that, and experience what I'm learning now with Naki by my side instead of... not.

The girlies' Uncle Isaac is one of those benefits. He and Naki played football together at BYU, and since Naki died he and his wife have been some of the friends to us that I didn't know we had all along. Isaac has made it a priority to stop in and stay for a while, allowing the kids to crawl all over him, balance on his outstretched legs as he lays on the floor on his back, lifting them upside down by their feet to help them "walk on the ceiling", being willing to break a sweat every time he's here. At first I was horrified by their behavior, asking them after he'd leave if they couldn't just sit and visit with him. But in therapy I learned that having a male figure to wrestle with and roughplay with was a vital and necessary part of their development that without Naki would be left undone. Daddy was forever wrestling with the girls, playing on the floor with them, giving horsie rides to them, etc etc, and they all miss that terribly. Isaac is more than willing to let them do it, the girls are extra willing to do it, but I had to relax and let both parties enjoy themselves. They just can't get enough of their Uncle Isaac. And to top it all off, he bakes the best homemade bread which he lovingly delivers when he comes. And it shouldn't be left unsaid that Erin, his sweet wife, gives us that opportunity of having him over here by shouldering all that a strong Mother does when their husband isn't home. Thanks to both of you for what you provide to the girls.


These other pics are from the girls' school activity, the Turkey Trot. Every Thanksgiving the school holds a race for each grade by gender. The winner of each race takes home a turkey, and the 2nd and 3rd place winners in the past received a candy bar and this year won a school water bottle. May I humbly say that we have four of those water bottles being used around our house! The girls all had a great time, well, maybe except Line who REALLY wants to win 1st some day. :) And I was lucky enough to get to hang around outside watching all of the races, since the teacher I work with at the school was willing to let me do so. Hopefully next year they won't decide to do the same kind of race for all the employees...yikes, that has potential embarassment written all over it. Great job, girls!