One box of clothes outgrown

This is going too fast.

still saving...

my science fair project

and blogging about it over here. or over yonder as my Me-maw would say.

and speaking of science fairs - I should tell you about the time I didn't do mine in 8th grade and I instead took flowers from a funeral that had been held at church (they said anyone was welcome to take some) and I staged my project.

Yep a staged science project with funeral flowers. all lies, the shame

and I got an A.

a few years later my sister did a kick butt project on hair conditioner - does it really make your hair stronger - she rigged up weights, washed her hair with different conditioners and shampoos for weeks and made her hair lift weights - literally!! to test the claims. I thought it WAS AWESOME

she got a B

life is not fair and I carry the guilt.....

love you Meg

Family Scripture

wildflowers at Erwin Park

I am not into resolutions in the traditional sense, but I do try to challenge myself spiritually. Lately I have felt the strong desire to be more open to hearing the Spirit in my life. Most importantly to be aware that some feelings and motivations are in fact personal revelation for ME.

I think I am fairly good about following promptings. But I am not good at acknowledging those as such, in the moment they happen. So this goal of mine has also evolved into having more teachable moments with my children about the Holy Ghost and how he literally helps us and not just figuratively. He is not only a cheerleader rooting for our good but is actually guiding us.

I got this book at the Temple Bookstore when we went this past Saturday, because I liked Bro. Wilcox so much when I listened to him at Time Out for Women. There have been quite a few things that have stood out to me since reading it. One is that there are sections in the scriptures that are really private family stories that we are blessed to be privy to since they decided to record them.

Bro. Wilcox says every family has these stories. Stories of God's hand in our lives that get told over and over until they are like "family scriptures" - faith building stories central to your family.

I remember my mom telling often of a special Priesthood blessing I received when I was suffering from Reye's Syndrome (I still remember the hallucinations from that episode). Before my blessing they weren't sure if I would make it and if I did what hospital I would be transferred to when the sun came up. But... I went home the next day. A miracle. Its so tender to my mom that she has not told me all the details - she holds them in her heart.

For my kids they still talk about the "tire incident" with Cora, We were getting tires put on the van and I was playing with her to pass the time. I went to set her on the counter in front of me so I could tickle her little belly. Just before I let go of her I distinctly heard a voice tell me "STOP". I did, and instantly realized it was not a shelf but just the tire rack which was empty behind the thin bar. I would have dropped her from my eye level to a hard concrete floor. And I am sure the thin bar would have made her flip probably landing on her head.

No one was around me. No person there to warn me. It was the Holy Ghost. And stronger than the audible voice I heard moments earlier was the profound feeling in my soul to tell my children what just happened.

They still bring up this story (a year and half later) and I now realize its making its way into our "family scripture"

I am going to make a concentrated effort to recognize the Lord's hand in my life, the guidance of the Holy Ghost and share more personal experiences of faith with my children. It may be as simple as adding a "God is Awesome" when we talk about the gorgeous flowers.

A Blessing indeed...

PJ was blessed and given a name by his father on Sunday January 2, 2011

a sweet sister from the ward wrote some of the words from his blessing for me.

For that entire day I kept thinking that PJ is blessed indeed, but more than that he is such a blessing to us.

Parker James Oyakawa

...a blessing upon him to grow strong- strong body, strong spirit, strong in the Church. Through his example and faith he can become a leader to those around him, so that he may help bring others unto thee Dear Lord. Through his example they may be able to feel His Spirit. The Lord will bless him to be strong in his knowledge of the scriptures, that they may serve him well throughout his life and that he may recall them readily when needed....

no more pictures please mom.

what a difference a year makes

My favorites...

Here are my favorite shots from my friend Anne-Marie and her new husband Mike's wedding day...

Picture pages...

time to catch up

Ella in the school play

Cora tuckered out

Cora's primary mission these days is to make sure absolutely no baby dolls in this house have clothes on

Maiya tuckered out one day - almost a repeat of this

Mr. PJ the celebrity at Ella's school party

Maiya's first school party - pajama day of course

Benjamin went on a date with me to see Harry Potter - although he corrected a friend from church who ran into and asked if it was a mother/son date and he said "nnnoooooooo its a mother/son activity"

Benjamin at Sky camp

and on the zip line - the highlight of the overnight trip - you read that right overnight field trip in 5th grade!!!

(usually that's PJ in Maiya's spot)

Because I did this I got it in my head I could do other things I never thought I could do before - so I started the first day to 5K podrunner series. I am still on week one many weeks later - but I have been fairly consistent with it and very proud of myself. (Do not enter in to fat talk with me now though - I don't give a rats behind if I lose weight) This is a goal that makes me happy to be achieving

Ella went with me the other day - with her american girl double stroller (hand me down from the neighbors :) - how cute huh??

So more on the podrunners. - I LOVE THEM - its music with varying beats per minute to pace yourself - a buzzer rings when you are to switch from walking to running

I don't look at a watch anymore or count laps - I just stick to the music. Its techno electronica music which I didn't think I'd like but its perfect tune out the world kind of music and the BPM are really good to pace to.

Now for the totally random - there is a blood stain on the sidewalk and every time I circle past it I make up a different story of how the blood got there. I told Ella this and when she went with me she made up her own stories too. Yes we are weird.

and cute.

peace out

check it out

I changed the way I make homemade laundry detergent... and I love it even more

I blogged about it here, and even added a video :)

and boneless skinless chicken breasts are on sale again

check that out here

she might be ready, I'm not

My kiddos are late walkers and later talkers. Well except for Ella, she's like the babysitter from the incredibles and has always been.

But the rest take their sweet ol time. Receptive language is spot on. They understand exactly what you are saying they just choose not to respond. Not with words anyway. Maiya took so long and tortured so many speech therapists with her cuteness but lack of words I started to get seriously worried. Then one day she just started talking, forgetting sentences she went straight to novellas.

Cora is following suit. I am pretty sure she can talk a whole lot more than she does. She's just not that into it. And what she does say is admittedly hard to understand, even for her mom.

but...

She has gone to the potty pretty consistently for #1 for a while now. And while the kids were on break she even went #2 a few times.

But I'm not ready.

I mean how the heck do you potty train a toddler that's not really talking. Its complicated.

And honestly until PJ is a little older it would be nice if she just stayed in diapers. Its hard coordinating outings, naptime, a baby and ALWAYS being near a potty.

oh and to help things she is kind of afraid of real toilets, only wants to use a potty. Makes potty training hard out and about.

I prefer to go cold turkey to real underwear. but I just don't know....

like I said, I'm not ready.

our getaway

We loved, loved, loved our little getaway to the woods, well ranch I should say. There were longhorn cattle, baby cows, elk, llamas, horses, and dogs (one who spent a lot of time with us). We had an adorable cabin with its own private pond. We ate well, fished, paddleboated, toasted the new year, fed the animals, snuggled, read, played a rousing game of go fish, played with fire and fireworks, let the kids fight with each other without stopping them (a benefit of being in the woods) and generally had a wonderful time. Want to go yourself? If its warmer outside they'll take you horseback riding.

the views.

paddleboating - from what we could tell each cabin has its own paddleboat

feeding the elk food, although he tried to eat the camera

this was our buddy - the girls named her thelma, I noticed she had puppies at at some point and mentioned that. When we went to leave, Maiya was devestated to leave her, through her tears she kept telling Thelma "we have to go home now, you go and breastfeed your babies now ok."

I took a nap and woke up to the view. It made me smile it was like looking at a postcard

very comfy bed and the cabin had everything you needed but food. Fridge, stove, dishes, pots, pans, extra sheets and blankets and towels.

Cora giving in for the day

watching for fish

the boys fishing.

loved the huge front porch

Benjamin wanted to do everything right now - 'when can we fish? when can we go feed the animals? I am going on a walk ok?

I think they had more fun playing with the worms than fishing. Maiya adopted one of the worms and cried about letting it go as much as she cried about Thelma the dog

cabin fabulous surf and turf - yumm

dutch oven chicken and rice

PJ's cooking station

Happy New year!!

they boys lighting fireworks while the girls sip sparkling cider

bye-bye Thelma - we hope to be back one day.

ps. Found out her name is Josesphine, but she'll always be Thelma to us.