Go For Broke

My grandpa, Shigeru Oshita in the back with glasses on.

Because it's Veterans Day here in the States and because I have 2 grandpas who served in WWII, this day holds a lot of meaning for me. It especially means alot because I'm half Japanese and have a Japanese-American grandpa who had to fight a war that was started by Japan bombing Pearl Harbor. (Our family is from Hawaii so that too means alot.)

My grandpa Oshita served in the 100th Battallion of the 442nd Infantry. The motto of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was “go for broke.” It’s a gambling term that means risking everything on one great effort to win big. The soldiers of the 442nd needed to win big. They were Nisei - American-born sons of Japanese immigrants. They fought two wars: the Germans in Europe and the prejudice in America. The unit became the most highly decorated military unit in the history of the United States Armed Forces, including 21 Medal of Honor recipients, earning the nickname “The Purple Heart Battalion”. The unit’s exemplary service and many decorations did not change the attitudes of the general U.S. population to people of Japanese descent after World War II. Veterans were welcomed home by signs that read “No Japs Allowed” and “No Japs Wanted”, and many veterans were denied service in shops and restaurants, and had their homes and property vandalized. This attitude makes me even more proud of grandpa Oshita and Grandpa Grant (who served in the Navy). I'm so proud to be Japanese/American and so proud of all those who have served our Country and for fighting for our FREEDOM!

Their Unit's Fight Song...
Four-Forty-Second Infantry— We're the boys of Hawai'i nei— We'll fight for you And the Red, White and Blue, And go to the front... And back to Honolulu-lulu. Fighting for dear old Uncle Sam Go for broke! HOOH! We don't give a damn! We'll round up the Huns At the point of our guns, And vict'ry will be ours! GO FOR BROKE! FOUR-FOUR-TWO! GO FOR BROKE! FOUR-FOUR-TWO! And vict'ry will be ours!

Ahh, it's over!

A must have Nutrition Book for all us mums with or without "fussy eaters"!

I was hit hard, really hard with that wretched flu that's goin around. Just as I was beginning to feel better another son would get sick and it'd start all over for me. But I'm on the mend now...got on the treadmill and cranked out a solid 40 minutes today! Once again I was reminded of the importance of eating as clean as I can and how much better I feel when I exercise. (Cause who knows, that flu could've lasted much longer or could've turned into something much worse!)

I just received the most fantastic Nutrition book by a blogging friend...Kate Di Prima. You must check her out here. She's A-MAZING...Author of a fantastic nutrition book, writes super informative blog and is just oh-so sweet...oh and did I mention she's Australia's leading dietician? Check out her website while you're at it too! here You'll LOVE it!

***I can't forget...thank you so much to my parents who helped me out in SO many ways while I was sick...I love my family! ;-D

"Let's get it started in here"

I've gotta confess: Lately I just can't seem to give myself the same butt-kicking workouts that I give daily to others...why is that? I've lost my mojo...You know that movie "Stellas Got Her Groove Back"? Well, I've lost my groove...and I need it BACK now! I used to have the kind of self-discipline that even my husband was in awe of. Just gotta get back into my groove, and maybe a little extra Black Eyed Peas on my iPOD will do the trick! ;-D

In Another Life...

picture from The Bottom of the Ironing Basket!

Quote from The Bottom of the Ironing Basket

In another life, I would love to have been a stylist! (just wasn't blessed with that talent in this life) In my blogging world, the blogs I look at most often are sharing either decorating ideas or fashion. One of the blogs I just discovered is brilliant! Fashionably Inspired will post an actress or model on her blog, then break down the outfit...and then you ready for this one?...you can click on a piece and order it for yourself right then and there!! I LOVE that! Check her out!


(Picture & Quote are from another favorite blog I just found: The Bottom of the Ironing Basket!!)

Sorry Edward, but I'm with Jacob now

Taylor Lautner aka JACOB
My own real-life "Jacob"!

Oh goodness, it's officially begun. I'm feeling the giddiness that I experienced this time last year. New Moon is coming out NEXT month and I am SO excited!

When I read the books the FIRST time, Edward was my man. Then I read them again, and by the third time (I know...pathetic) I realized I was hooked on Jacob. I won't bore you with the reasons why, just that Jacob reminds me of my own hubby Carl. He's strong, loves deeply and is just plain HOT, body temperature that is! (hehe, don't want to make any of my family, who may be reading this nauseous)

You Only Live Once

YOLO=You Only Live Once

I LOVE IT!!

This is the board I want!


Pictures via CoastalLiving.com

(Coastal Living Mag/October 2009)

It's always a treat for me when I can spend an afternoon reading my Coastal Living Magazine! Today I was so excited when I saw that this months issue had a story on paddling! This last summer I mentioned to Carl that since we were a bit aways from the ocean, I'd like to take up paddling. I looked up this website and fell in love in an instant!

YOLO stands for You Only Live Once! How fantastic is that?!! I read all I could about this company and am so excited to save up for one of these beauties! Our whole family will enjoy it next summer...and the best bit? Not only is it FUN but it's also great exercise!! Check out what owner Brody Welte, Personal Trainer, Recreation Leader and Adventure Guide says about it:

"Stand up paddling is such a fun and useful tool to help out our country’s biggest health problem, being sedentary. Most people are a short drive from some form of water, whether it is the crystal clear blue waters of Hawaii and Florida, the chilly waters of the Great Lakes or your local river, lake or pond. There are very few “exercises” that are as all encompassing, full body, functional workout that are this much fun. Stand up paddling will open the door for people to live the healthy lifestyle that we need. If you have not tried stand up paddling you need to find out the about the fun you have been missing. It is a fantastic way to get started being active and being healthy."

So are you sold? I sure am...see you out in the water...Kristen

Saturday evening you'll find me here...

I'm almost there...I can't wait for Saturday evening...

My speaking assignment is coming up this Saturday afternoon from 2-4 pm. I kid you not but at 4:15 pm I will be lying or is it laying (never could get that right) in bed doing one of 3 things: vegging out in front of the TV, reading my book Pemberley Manor, or flipping through my InStyle magazine. Whatever it is I wind up doing, I'll be doing it completely relaxed!

Isn't that hammock lovely?

My own personal heaven.

And I love the bedding!

How are you going to relax this weekend?

Are You Happy?

(Image from Alicia States Photography)

About 10months ago my husband and I made a HUGE decision for our family. We decided that Carl would leave his high stress but well-paying job for a move to Oregon where the unemployment rate was one of the highest in the Nation! Why did we do this? We wanted to be closer to family and we needed him home more. You see, he would travel for weeks at a time and we hardly ever spent time with him.

So we're here in Oregon and loving it. It's been a very challenging year for our family but we're so much closer as the result of it. Carl and I have done our best to remain positive and have a good outlook. And to be honest, I wasn't sure I was succeeding until the Stake Relief Society President asked me to speak at our Women's Conference (which is this Saturday). She said she had been watching me the last several months and noticed that I always had a smile on my face. Knowing our families circumstances she wondered how it was that I always seemed happy.

I've thought about that a lot lately and my conclusion is this: What other choice do I have? Should I wallow in my self pity thinking my life is so much harder then everyone else's. Should I sink into a deep depression and just give up? Should I stop going to Church because life's so unfair. No way! For ME, that's just rubbish! SO many people have it way harder then me. This was just one hurdle in my life that I was going to clear! I've never been one to give up...I HATE that.

Around every challenge and hiccup we faced I looked for the positive in it...I won't lie...sometimes it really sucked! But I got over it and took it one day at a time. Putting a smile on my face even if inside I felt a little beat up...cause you know by the end of that day...I remembered all the things that I was grateful for!

The result of this last year: Carl started a new job this week (that seems too good to be true, which is why I can't even speak of it for fear it might disappear tomorrow) and I'll be DONE with my talk at the Womens Conference.

So, if you're reading this and your life kinda stinks right now, remember this:

"We do not remember days, we remember moments"

Try to be cheerful for a moment. Maybe you can't promise to be patient for the entire year your child is 2. That's alright. You can be patient for a moment, and then for another moment, and then maybe for the moment in between that links the first to moments. You can do it!

We're still learning...

Kruse Farms, OR
My little helpers

I think it's refreshing that my husband and I don't know EVERYTHING about each other! It keeps 'things' interesting and fresh. I LOVE flowers...fresh flowers. NOT the kind of flowers that you get from the gas station down the road, or outrageously priced flowers from the grocery store or the florist. I like the flowers that I can pick from a tree or bush and put behind my ear. Or the kind of flowers (like at Kruse Farms) where I bring a basket, pair of scissors and get a huge arm full of flowers for less then $3!

Saturday I took three willing helpers with me to pick some flowers. The flowers were beautiful. When I brought them home my husband looked at me kinda funny and this was the following conversation...

Carl: "Why did you pick flowers? You hate flowers."

Me: "What, are you crazy I LOVE FLOWERS!"

Carl: "No, you've always hated them, remember when I got them for you and you left them on top of the microwave and they died?"

Kristen, "Umm, that was like 14 years ago, when we were dating. I always loved the plumerias you picked for me that I wore in my hair."

Carl: "Oh, ok."

(He then goes back to playing his computer game without another thought.)

It's funny sometimes what husbands think we like or dislike. I love the story of my dad getting my mom a baseball handheld game for their anniversay cause he thought she'd like it, or when Carl got me a towel that would make my hair dry faster, along with a handheld sewing machine for my birthday...WHAT was he thinking?!

Oh well...maybe it's my fault...maybe I just need to knock him aside the head with more obvious hints of what I like...or maybe I'll just go on with life and enjoy this road we're on discovering new and wonderful things about eachother...

A Challenge...that I'll gladly accept!

Hoping that my skin might look like this

(most likely touched up, and probably 18 yrs. old)

beautiful models skin!

;-D
Could this be the fountain of youth...?

There are a few blogs that I love to read everyday...their witty, hilarious, informative & just beautiful to look at. One of these blogs is Bella Mamma! She offers great advice & tips from beauty, health and everything in between. One of the products she is trying is the RoC Pack. It's a 12 week challenge PROMISING TO MAKE YOU LOOK 10 YEARS YOUNGER! So, I searched all over high and low for this product and I don't think it's offered here in the States! (or maybe they just call it something else) What I did find was the RoC Multi-Correxion Daily Perfecting System! Promises the same thing (but without the challenge) I'm gonna try it...am I hoping for a miracle?...yep! Realistically though, I'm just hoping for a brighter complexion & maybe for a few wrinkles to 'disappear'! So here goes...I'll let you know how it turns out in a couple of weeks...Oh yeah, and the best bit is you can get a $10 off coupon here!! C'mon who wouldn't like that?!

Kisses...I love them all

Mr. Darcy: "You must know... surely, you must know it was all for you. You are too generous to trifle with me. I believe you spoke with my aunt last night, and it has taught me to hope as I'd scarcely allowed myself before. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me forever. If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on."

(Ohhh, a personal favorite!!)

Kissin in the rain

Kissin & not caring who sees you

The first kiss

Gilbert Blythe: "It'll be three years before I finish medical school. Even then there won't be any diamond sunbursts or marble halls."

Ann Shirley: "I don't want diamond sunbursts, or marble halls. I just want you."

Kissin after a long (or short) time apart!

Boys & Girls, the color of the day is...

YELLOW!!

Which of these pictures inspire you the most today?

Wednesdays Pleasure

There are days when lying around reading a good book is all I want to do...

MICHELLE...I just couldn't resist!!

Can you believe it?

She ACTUALLY made the ottoman/coffee table and pillows!

Her e-n-t-r-y-w-a-y hall!!!!

Where her two handsome sons get to sleep...
doesn't it look like a page out of a Pottery Barn catalog?!

Just a 'little' project she took on!

What DON'T I love about this room?

I really, really want this room!

I just came across one of the most wonderful blogs I have seen in awhile! Michelle (a fellow BYU-Her) is married to a friend of ours and we had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times. It wasn't hard to miss how beautiful she was OR how sweet, however if I had known THEN just how talented she was...I may have had to FORCE or at the very least beg her to be my new BFF! Check out her amazing decor above (she actually did this herself and in a very thrifty manner, which I'm all about!) Hope you don't mind Michelle...but we are officially blogging buddies! ;-)

Don't miss out on her blog!

Vacation to beautiful Oregon Coast!

Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport,OR

This beach was beautiful and we had great weather!

Waiting patiently for dinner

We played in the water, threw the football, and ran races!

Florence, OR...what a great little beach town with some great shopping!

Hot Rod Restaurant. The boys got to sit in an actual 1950's car while

they ate dinner AND their kids meal came in a hot rod car box! It was too cool!

"How far do you think the swim is to Hawaii?"

A HUGE thank you to my mom and dad who took our family on a GREAT trip to the Oregon Coast! I couldn't believe how beautiful it was there! We had so much fun with them and the food was great! We can't wait to return!!!!

My Tuesday Favorites

I love this outfit by jcrew minus the scarf...I can't really pull off the scarf look all that well. But I do LOVE the pants, belt and top!!

Okay, something about this outfit I just love! Of course the skirt would have to be a bit longer! ;-)

Guess what these sweats are called? Give up? Hollister calls themtheir "Awesome Butt Sweats". So are they promising me that my butt will look awesome if I put these suckers on? Cause if so, I'm running out the door right now to buy me a pair! :-)

I LOVE Benefits 'Bad gal Lash' Mascara...and yeah, I do feel pretty bad !@$ when I wear it...well not really,but I like to pretend that I am

My baby is gettin too big!

Kaleo will be 5 in October and it's just hit me that I no longer have any babies!

What's YOUR favorite Beach Cottage Style?

A-Frame with beautiful windows, a deck to lounge on and stairs leading to a kid-friendly, white sandy beach, covered with beautiful shells to keep you and your family busy for hours?

A secluded cottage for two. No cell phones or computers allowed. (could you handle it?) Beautiful trails and sea for fishing?

Adorable cottage for the family. Other cottages nearby where you and extended family could stay and enjoy watching everyone play together, prepare meals together, and appreciate 'family time'?

Spacious Cottage for large family. Beach just a short walk away. Canoes, swimming, fishing and local shopping all close by.

Which one would you choose right now if you could?!!

My favorite Fashion Magazine

Dear Martha Stewart, If I could be a bit more like you, would my life run a little smoother?!

I want this office space...I'm certain that if I worked in this space I'd be overflowing with creative ideas and perhaps become filthy rich in the process...

Hmmm... perhaps if I had a chore chart like this one, the children would be so eager to do their chores (or any chores for that matter) that I would find myself wandering about the house actually looking for something to do...!?

I just want to photoshop my head onto that ladies body...I want her dress, jacket, sandals, bag, bouquet of flowers and that adorable beach cottage...I even want that #3 house number...is that too much to ask? sheesh! ;-)
(all pictures from Martha Stewart Living)

What's Your Beach Style?

"Resort Glam"

"Sailor Chic"

"Poolside Preppy"

"Boho Beachy"



Amazing, I have a spare moment...finished my workout for the morning, have one more client to train, boys are currently reading their library books...and so I thought I'd update my much neglected blog and escape to another world where I sit in the sun all day (sunscreen on of course) read a great book and drink some great fruity drink (non-alcoholic of course ;-) Actually, come to think of it, that's pretty much what I do almost everyday now that summers here...isn't life grand?!
So tell me, what's your beach style?

"Again"

Ohhhh if this boy Alex ever comes out with a CD, I'll be the first to buy it! I LOVE HIS VOICE!!!

Haka: Please press PAUSE on our music playlist on leftof screen!

Carl taught the boys the Haka and they were asked to perform it at the WIldlife Safari Park here in Oregon!

Lil Carls Kindergarten Graduation

Six years ago Carl and I FINALLY graduated from BYU-Hawaii and a few weeks BEFORE that, Little Carl was born!! We loved him from the moment he entered this world and we're so proud of him tonight! He performed like a real pro tonight at his Kindergarten graduation program (swaying hips and all), and was animated throughout it all. He brings such joy to our family and makes us laugh everyday! We love you heaps lil Carl!!!

Love, mummy and daddy

I tried...I really, really DID!

The million dollar question I get asked nearly every single day is, "So are you trying for a girl?"

Uh NO! I have been so incredibly blessed with these 4 boys! But a GIRL? Are you kidding me, she'd be eaten alive by these monkeys! ;-) I tried to take some pictures tonight of the boys as they are normally found during the summer months (which has already begun here in Oregon!!), shorts, no shirts, and tans...which haven't quite set in just yet. This is what I got out of it. It's all about the memories right...and we sure did laugh!

Ohana Personal Trainers BLOG!!

Hi guys!! Most of you know that I've been a personal trainer for over 17 years. I've been keeping really busy with my Ohana Personal Training business and just wanted to share with you my new blog. On it (and in the future) you'll find some great tips from Nutrition to fitness, etc... Stop by anytime, I'd love to hear your comments!

WARNING!! The following post is NOT for animal lovers!!

I deliberately made this picture blurry, so that those involved in the slaughtering could not be identified! ;-)

My parents have a beautiful yard...however, for the past few months we have been terrorized by MOLES!! They are ruining their lawn, and we've tried every possible way to get rid of them. We finally have had to resort to calling upon the Samoan gods and their mole killing powers...Carl (my samoan husband) saw said mole, picked up a metal pole, whacked it and killed it...yikes...cheering throughout the house, boys wanting to touch it, Landon thought it might still be alive, wanted to keep it...daddy threw it in the river after many threats from mommy...I warned you...life is proving to be very adventurous indeed here in Oregon!

Gold Mine!!

For all my fitness fanatic friends, and friends who just want to find a great workout...check out this link! There are some great new 'twists' to some ole classic moves!! I'm using some of these in my Boot Camp class tomorrow, and lemme tell you...THEY'LL KICK YOUR BUTT!

Are you SUMMER ready?!

Ahhh, do you smell that...the salty air, coconut scented sun screen? Can you hear your children playing in the surf, while your husband snores next to you, and you reading a GREAT beach read? No? Maybe it's because you're not really feeling quite beach ready yet? I was feeling that way too a few weeks ago, but ever since I started our Personal Training business and teaching Boot Camps in the wee hours of the morning, I'm finally feeling like I might just be able to bare my gams this summer! Whatever gets you excited for summer start doin it now!! Put on some good summer music (my personal faves: Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson and Bob Marley) get outside (walk, jog, run), eat clean, and start feeling GOOD!!

I wanna wanna these!!

I really like this outfit from JCrew!

So cute and perfect for Spring which is in 3 more days!! Yeah

T-strap sandals...LOVE THEM!

All pictures are from http://www.jcrew.com/

Winters then and NOW

Our winters in Utah were usually pretty long, always a bit cold (well FREEZING for me),

BUT always so much fun spent in the snow!!

We decided to take the boys to the beach on Saturday. (We now live in Southern Oregon)

Not sure what to expect, we dressed them in warm clothes. Surprisingly it was 65 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, and the boys ended up completely wet! What a great weekend and what a nice change! Luckily I brought extra clothes for them! ;-)

HELLO, ALOHA, KIA ORA...

Hi guys...I'm still here, have just been CRAZY busy with our recent move to Oregon 2 weeks ago! I feel like I haven't sat still since we arrived: moving, getting the boys enrolled in school, looking for a job (yeah, I get to go back to work for a bit!) But things are starting to fall into place now, OH! and have I mentioned how much I'm LOVING Oregon yet?...cause I do, heaps! It is so green here (we're in Southern Oregon where it doesn't rain too much but still incredibly green!) And even better we're living near family who have helped us out in more ways then I can name! So, I'm back to my blogging world and can't wait to check out everyones blogs! :-)

Christmas Cookies!

Woohoo, it's cookie time!!

Kobe and I...can you believe he'll be 11 soon?! Yikes, I'm too young to have an 11 year old right? I mean 21 is REALLY young! ;-)

The end result was oh so yummy! My friend Eve came over and we used her super yummy sugar cookie recipe that called for orange peel! My house totally smelt like Christmas!

As you can tell...I was way too tired to cook dinner after that. So we went to the brand new Dennys right across the street! Yummy!!

Our future home...OREGON!!

Grandma & Grandpas house is heaven for 5 grandsons!

S. Umpqua river=fishing, boating, & lots of relaxing!

Just enjoying the outdoors is what we love to do!

Summer concerts in the park directly across the river, how cool is that?!

Not sure if many of you know, but our family has decided to make the BIG move to Roseburg, OR!! We are ALL so excited, and we can't wait to be closer to grandma and grandpa Oshita and all the rest of the family! I for one am ecstatic...being the type of girl that prefers being out of doors rather then stuck in the house during months and months of cold weather. Here are some beautiful pictures of Roseburg and where my parents live which is right on the S. Umpqua river...oh and did I mention they have their very own BBEEAACCHH! I'm gonna be in heaven, reading my books while lying in the boat catching some sun (with sunscreen on of course! ;-)

Christmas Song

LOVE Dave Matthews! LOVE this song...hope you enjoy!

(Pictures via Country Home)

This year we decided to decorate our home a few days earlier then usual because Carl left this morning for a 3 week work trip!! Usually I can deal with this just fine, but this trip happens to fall right during my 21st birthday ;-) and our wedding anniversary! Thankfully he returns a few days before Christmas and time should fly by since we're all so excited about the holidays! And I'm thankful for dear friends and family who are already thinking of ways to help me celebrate my 34th, whoops I mean my 21st birthday. Happy decorating everyone!

WARNING: This just in!!!

I am still LAUGHING OUT LOUD!! SOOOO funny! I have through this many times with my own dear husband!!

TTTWWWIIILLLIIIGGGHHHTTT!!!

Edward, Bella, & James!!!

The cast of Twilight!!

(All pics from Vanity Fair)


Yes, I am a crazed fan who stood in a long line for the 4th book, who has read all 4 twice, and am currently thinking about how I'm going to dress up after hearing that many if not all the girls we're going with are 'dressing in costume'....Next Friday will be a FUN night!!


How beautiful are these pictures? And James is looking quite cute here...not so much in the movie though...enjoy! :-)

Good Intentions

Great great room! Love the wall color and organizational (is that a word?) cubbies etc...

I'd love to own this cute little wrapping paper organizer.
(Pictures from Cottage Living)
So I begin every holiday season with the good intention of wrapping beautiful presents to go under my Christmas tree...then life intervenes, and I find myself wrapping gifts in dollar store paper, covered in tape and MAYBE a bow. They usually look awful...of course the boys don't care, but for some reason I do.

My mom is the QUEEN of beautiful Christmases...her home is always so beautiful and warm. The tree is immaculate yet 'touchable', and her gift wrapping is so pretty. You just want to sit in front of her tree at nights with a cup of hot cocoa and just gaze at it.

I will do better this year, not because I feel like I HAVE to, but because I really want to. It gets me so excited, and I love to see how excited the boys get when they see me decorating the house and we have Christmas music quietly playing in the background. We're creating memories for our children, and I hope they are as wonderful as the ones I'm so fond of from my childhood.

A New Day...

Oh I LOVE the colors in this kitchen, the fresh flowers and that gorgeous island!

I'm without a doubt a Country/Beach girl at heart! No concrete jungles for me...this house says home to me.

What DON'T I LOVE about this kitchen!! Look at those bar stools, the WINDOW (Holy Cow I love it), the beams, the greenery, the list goes on and on...

I for one RARELY speak about politics, I kinda think it's tacky unless you REALLY know what you're talking about. I don't always...I look at the views that are important to me, and go to the polls as educated as I can be...

We have a new President of the UNITED States, and although I didn't vote for him, I DO agree with both candidates that we need to become UNITED and fix the terrible mess we are currently in. I think/hope that Pres. Elect Barack Obama can do that! There are too many Countries in this world that rely on us for many different reasons! So I'm looking at this with a new perspective, wanting to move forward, and hoping for a brighter future...

With ALL that said lets just enjoy the above pictures, take a deep breath, sit back and relax...

The Black Seeds - So True

A Friday favorite. This is a New Zealand based band that I really like! One of the guys is Brent from Flight of the Conchords.

Thanks for the calls and text!

(Picture via Coastal Living)

I just love the simplicity of this bed, and the idea of having some sort of caretaker there to hang my bath robe on the bed like that...surely that's who it was right? I could've recovered so much faster with one of them around! And my children would've been fed more then cereal and saimin!

(Picture via Coastal Living)

This would be heaven for me while in my sickly state. I could lie or is it lay, (never could get that right) there with my Theraflu, decorating magazines, all while the housekeeper, nanny, and cook are milling about the house keeping me happy and utterly relaxed! ;-)

Just wanna give a shout out to my dear friends and family who called or text me lately to make sure I was 'okay'. It's so nice to know that I have loved ones out there who like to have a look at my blog and who after noticing I hadn't posted anything in over 2 weeks (gasp! ;-)) they wanted to make sure I was still alive. So thank you very much!!

I've been so sick this last month...due to catching the flu TWICE, and sitting at my computer was just not an option when every part of my body ached. But it's over now!! (*Big smile*) and my first 'to do' this week will be gettin the good ole flu shot...it certainly worked last year!

So my first post back are of beautiful rooms that I would've loved to have spent my 'sick days' in. Great big 'Mahalo' to you all for being so wonderful and hope you're all healthy and happy!!

-Kristen

Summers over, but I'm still in vacation mode...

Great rental home in Laie, Hawaii

Hukilau Beach, Laie, Hawaii

Kohala Village Inn, Hawaii

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Out 'n' About Treehouses, OR

So I've been thinking of possible vacations for next year, (not that I think they'll actually happen but because I'm sitting here at my computer while my children are in school (yahoo), and I can either do this or fold a basket of laundry...need I say more?)

Option 1: Out 'n' About Treehouses, Oregon. I LOVED 'Swiss Family Robinson' growing up...so wanted a treehouse to live in. Well I found the coolest place and it ROCKS!!! The pictures speak for themselves. And with 4 boys, it's bound to be the coolest place ever!!


Option 2: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Ok yeah I know I'm not in H.S. or in College waiting to party during Spring Break, but celebrities always seem to vacay there and it looks beautiful. Not sure if my husband will be down with it though. Last time we were in Mexico, they pulled him into another line for customs because he kinda looks mexican and he hated waiting in that long line while I just sailed through the other...but wow the beaches are BEAUTIFUL, and we both love authentic mexican food!

Option 3: Kohala, Hawaii: Last year we stayed at the Kohala Village Inn. We all loved it there...grandma and granpa live just a couple of miles from there and it felt like ole Hawaii...

Option 4: Laie, Hawaii: We LOVE Laie, have heaps of friends still there, and it brings back GREAT memories!!! Just want to rent a house on Hukilau beach and kick it there all summer!!

I would love to be able to do all 4, but we may have to kick Mexico out of the running...since family all live in Oregon and Hawaii...and that always makes it soo much more fun! Well, off to do laundry...

7 Things...

7 things I want to do before I die...
1. Send all four sons on full-time missions, see them sealed in the Temple, and hold their first babies...
2. Go on a week long vacation to Hawaii with just Carl and not feel guilty about leaving children behind.
3. Go to Greece with any of my sister-in-laws that want to go
4. Visit Jane Austens home
5. Run my own business
6. Go on a HUGE shopping spree with someone else's money of course
7. Travel to Italy

7 Things I DO Now
1. Help with Kindergarten homework
2. Help with 2nd grade homework
3. Help with AWFUL 5th grade homework.
4. House chores
5. Play with the boys
6. Bills
7. Hang out with Carl every evening!!

7 Things I Cannot Do...
1. Hmmm, I don't want to believe there's something I can't do...

7 Things That Attract Me To My Husband
1. His eyes
2. His smile
3. His devotion to our family
4. His positive attitude
5. His love for our Savior
6. His muscles ;-)
7. His playfulness

7 Things I Say Most Often
1. I love you!!!
2. I know it's not fair...sorry
3. Too bad it's YOUR responsiblity
4. You're funny
5. Heavenly Father I so need your help!! :-)
6. Bedtime!!
7. Thanks for working so hard honey!

7 Celebrities I Admire
1. Paul Newman
2. Julia Roberts
3. Maya Angelo
4. Jessica Alba
5. Reese Witherspoon
6. Gabriela Reese
7. Tina Fey

7 Of My Favorite Foods
1. Gyoza
2. Ume Musubis and rolled eggs
3. Brick oven veggie pizzas
4. Yummy veggie sandwiches
5. Stir fry
6. Tofu bowl from Rumbis
7. Chicken salad from Cafe Rio with Tamatillo dressing

7 of My Friends I Tag
Anyone who has the time...

Friday Favorite

Money!! who doesn't need more of it right? And I don't mean in a 'greedy' kinda way, but in a

'I'd just wanna save some' kinda way.

President Hinckley's Last Testimony

A Sad Day

For the past few months Carl has been the Home Teacher to a wonderful young family in our ward. He loves the family dearly but this has been no easy calling. You see a few months ago the father, (who is our age) was diagnosed with cancer. Last night he lost that battle leaving behind a beautiful wife and 6 small children all under the age of 11. Carl was literally at a lost as to what to do for this young family. He would visit with them but knew that really all they wanted was to be with their family during these last days.

But I have to tell you that I really learned something from this experience and from their family. Over the last few years raising little ones, there were many Sundays when I would stay home from Church because someone was sick, or I was just too tired from an all nighter with one of the boys. It was an easy choice and easy to justify...however Matt (the father) went to church every single Sunday no matter how sick he felt. He was even there when he was going through chemo, and you could tell he felt just terrible. But he was there on time in his suit every Sunday while we walked in sometimes 5 minutes late thinking how hard it can be to get our little family ready for Church. I think sometimes we get so caught up in our own lives to remember that there are other people out there with greater trials then our own. I have learned a great lesson these past few months and pray that this young mother and her children will feel the comfort they need at this time.

If you'd like to know more about their family or would like to help in any way you can take a look at their blog here...

Flight of the Conchords - Most beautiful girl

A Friday Favorite...they're from New Zealand, are hilarious, and have that great Kiwi Humour! Want a good laugh?...check it out, I just don't recommend ALL of their songs! ;-) But if you like them check out 'Business Time' and 'Bret, you got it goin on', also very funny!

My Friday Favorites

Ocean front, lake front, river front HOMES...I LOVE them all, esp. when they have the windows like the ones above.

Ali'i Drive in Kailua Kona...someday we'll live there

Sunsets in Kona

Another favorite...the video from Flight of the Conchords above...Carl and I can laugh for ages at night watching some of their shows...

I've been tagged again!

( Our first date was to Rosies Cantina in Haleiwa, this pic was taken at the same place just a few years later, so many great memories!)

I've gotten tagged a few times lately, but this one is the easiest right now. (Kelli, I did take pictures of my house for your tag, but due to my 'type A personality, OCD' etc...they were just too boring...I'd have to be so dog sick for my house to be messy...;-) ) So here goes...

1. Where did you meet your husband? I met Carl in the old gym at BYUH. He and his friends needed one more player for their basketball game, and his friends new I played...let's just say I schooled him pretty bad, and he came begging back for more! :-)
2. How long did you date before you married? He proposed after 2 weeks of dating, I said 'no way, slow down', he asked me again 5 months later and we were married just 3 months after that...so about 9+ months.

3. How long have you been married? Nearly 12 years in December!! It's been Awesome!!

4. What does he do that surprises you? That he can still find me 'sexy' after 12 years and 4 pregnancies! hehe

5. What is his favorite feature? His eyes when he smiles, I love how they crinkle at the corners.

6. What is his favorite quality? His strong sense of family and his unconditional love for us.

7. Does he have a nickname for you? He's always called me Kris or mama.

8. What is his favorite food? Mexican food, esp. if it's from Cali!!

9. What is his favorite sport? Hmmm he likes to watch rugby (and play), but I think it's basketball.

10. When & where was your first kiss? Oh gosh, I'll have to plead the 5th on this one...

11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? Anything really as long as we're doing it together and the children are left with a babysitter!

12. Do you have any children? Yes 4 handsome boys.

13. Does he have any hidden talents? Yes...He knows all the dialogue and music to 'Seven Brides For Seven Brothers', it's hilarious AND a bit annoying.

14. How old is he? 34 years young.

15. Who said I love you first? It was Carl while we were dancing to a Brian McKnight song...ahhh

16. What is his favorite music? He really likes old school jams. (R&B)

17. What do you admire most about him? That he forgives easily, and can admit when he's wrong, which seems to be about 80% of the time if you ask ME! ;-) J/K

18. What is his favorite color? Blue

19. Will he read this? If I mention it to him he probably will.

20. Who do you tag? Jessica, Kelli, Erin, Alicia & Ardis

Another Friday Favorite

A friend of mine from high school has just created some REALLY beautiful pieces for her ETSY website. Her name is Tamara and her jewelry and photography are so lovely...I already know what my order will be!! Check her out here.

We Remember

This morning I was faced with the question of "What are we remembering on 9/11 mom?, Why do we need to wear Red, White & Blue?" It was a great discussion I had with our boys.

Where were you on that day? I was in my Athletics Conditioning class at BYU-Hawaii when we heard. My parents were in New York and were to take a tour of the WTC...so you can imagine what I did next. I went straight home to wait for a phone call from ANYONE in my family to tell me my mom and dad were okay. Luckily dad said they ended up taking the tour the day before. Can you believe that?!!

I love the song playing right now on our playlist...LeAnne Womacks 'I Hope You Dance'. Remembering all those who fought for us and are still fighting for our freedom, and those who have lost loved ones. Everyday is a precious gift, and it's time I get out of my pajamas, forget about the cold I have right now and DO something...

Ahhh, It's Good To Be Back!

Just a 'few' of the cousins.

Carl with his brothers and sister.

He has another brother and 2 more sisters in N.Z.

We had a fun and busy 3 weeks with Carls family from WA and New Zealand. Nearly everyday was jammed pack with fun things to do, and we had 18 of the 31 grandkids here in Utah. We're really looking forward to Serina and her family moving here to the States next month.

So glad to be back to my blogging world and blogging friends...hope you all had a lovely summer!

Remembering the Good & Not So Good Days at BYUH!

My family is planning a getaway next year to Hawaii for a couple of weeks (or that's how long we're hoping to stay) I can't wait to rent a house and relive some of our favorite pastimes...

Watching Carl and his friends playing BB till dusk.

(Carl schooling Ano! ;-) )

Great friends while at BYUH!
(Garth, Carl and 'Big' Mike)

Endless hours at Hukilau or Bikini Beach

Taking the boys to the beach EVERYDAY while daddy was at work.

NOT something I miss...Hawaiian cockroaches. We had to bomb our place every few months because of these critters. They would fly around at night and land in my hair while I was sleeping!!!

My Friday Favorites

Oh I so love Horatio Hornblower (by C.S. Forester). Mum gave me the complete set of DVD's! Brilliant movies and Ioan Gruffudd's not so bad looking either...;-)
Love this beautiful 'Uptown Tote' by JCrew!


Gap makes some of the best pants...love, love, love these!

Give it up for Chuck Taylors!! Best shoes ever...I wear them with jeans, pants, skirts and cute summer dresses!

Lovely Lovely Cottages

Hmmm, I've always thought of myself as a tom boy growing up, but I think I've morphed into a girly girl over the last ten years. Could it have something to do with the fact that I'm the ONLY girl in this house. I'm finding that I like wearing pretty dresses and skirts and even makeup (gasp). I like girly furnishings and pretty paint colors.

This morning while I was blogging, I stumbled across the most wonderful website Beach Studios located in the UK. My hubby loves big modern houses, but I've always loved little cottages that are a bit beat up around the edges, where the family doesn't get lost and we can sit around a cozy fire reading or watching T.V. Here are a few of my favorite pics from their website...

School is FINALLY here!

Ahhh, the new school year has arrived and I for one am excited!! We were just getting into the really slow, boring stage of summer and the boys needed something to do. Now that school is here, there's a lot less fighting, video games, and whining! ;-) However, every summer just gets better and better as the boys grow older because we can do so much more with them.

All day I was looking forward to picking up the boys and finding out how their first day was. Kobe was especially in my thoughts because of the bullies he kept encountering at school last year....unfortunately they're in the same class with him again. I so badly want to move him to another classroom, but I think I need to wait and see what happens. We'd rather try and teach him to have a bit more confidence, and be a leader, then running away from the problem...however if that doesn't work, then I'll just ask Carl to go to the school after he works out so the bullies can see that Kobe's dad really is BIGGER then their dads. HAHA

Happy Weekend!

Hope you have a wonderful & relaxing weekend.

Oregon...Heaven on Earth

My mum and dad live on a river that is full of bass. There is a "secret" spot where my dad takes the boys fishing and all they have to do is cast their line and reel in the fish...easy as that!

We went hiking with my sister and her little family and it was beautiful!! I was put on this earth to hike gorgeous trails! :-) We all loved it and at the end was a beautiful waterfall!

Kobe and I braving the cold water...I LOVED it, it was so refreshing!

AHHHH the beach. Need I say more? I was in Heaven here!

Thanks Mom, Dad, Great-Grandma, Erin, Lane & baby Cooper for a wonderful vacation, I think it was my favorite trip to Oregon yet!

VACATION!

Hi! We've been on vacation for the past week and having the BEST week ever! Many pictures to upload when I return...doing my best to be electronic free and enjoy some R & R! See you soon!

Outdoor Living

Besides the beautiful columns, gorgeous french doors and pool, I LOVE those sun chairs. I could definetly spend all day out there.
This to me is the most perfect setting! The sun retiring for the day, perfect shade and best of all reading a book on that hammock...it can't get better then that for me!
(All pictures from Coastal Living.com)

Am I crazy?

Okay, okay, so I was one of those crazy Twilight fans who stood in line and waited and waited for the clock to strike 12 am...but even the party at Barnes & Nobles was too much for this old girl (well, I don't feel old exactly being 33 years old, but I sure felt it when I heard all the teenage girls screaming with excitement when they received their books!)

So I skipped that party, said goodnight to my friends and headed over to Walmart where I stood in line for 30 mins. got my book, headed home and fell asleep. This morning I went to Costco and right in the middle of the store was a massive crate full of Breaking Dawn, but that's alright it was a fun experience.

So if you're a fan like me you'll understand if I take a break from blogging so I can finish this book...besides I need to read it FAST...my husband Carl is anxiously waiting for me to finish... ;-)

Rock Scissor Paper

All cards can be found at Rock Scissor Paper!!

and are 20% off right now!

Who doesn't love getting a card in the mail? Isn't it great when someone you know remembers a birthday or anniversary of yours and takes the time to write a sweet message?

In this day and age emails are so easy to send. They're free and fast, but for some reason I've always preferred to send a card or a thank you note. Maybe it's because I love to search for that perfect card!

Above are pictures of some of my favorite cards from Rock Paper Scissors. I also love the Birthday calendar, as we have TONS of birthdays in our family! :-)

What the future beholds...

Kaleo home from his little outing

Okay, how did my parents ever survive raising 3 teenage daughters? Last week our youngest son was invited by his little friend Luka to go to a rodeo with her and her parents. He was ecstatic to say the least, and had to dress in his finest threads! ;-) We knew he'd be home around 10 pm, and as it was nearing that time Carl and I started laughing because it literally felt like we were waiting up for him to return home from a date...When he got home he was so happy and told us of all the things he had seen and done at the rodeo, even showing us how the cowboy wrestled the bull to the ground. I'm just PRAYING he'll be as forth coming with information in another 14 years when he returns home from a date...that's if I ever let any of our sons date! ;-)

Friday Favorites!!

Wellies from Zappos
In N.Z. they call these gum boots, they're also known as Wellies, and rain boots...but whatever you choose to call them I plan on owning a pair for the upcoming winter season, as I was totally ill-prepared for all the snow we had this last year. I ruined several pairs of shoes, and can't wait to get a pair of these...wish they came in a red as well...

Dermalogica
Ahhh, this is the best stuff ever! It's their Skin Renewal Booster and it's a miracle. I've been using it for over a month now, and my skin looks so much healthier, and has more elasticity!

Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant. It's made with rice and other yummy natural ingredients, and it doesn't dry out my skin like other products. I use it daily at night and I can see the difference. There are so many other products that I love from their line but way too much to write about here.

Outdoor showers!

Coastal Living
While living on the North Shore of Oahu, Hi, and after a long day of surfing, runs on the beach and sunbathing, I took a shower outdoor everyday. I'm not sure what it was that I loved so much about it. Maybe just being outdoors and smelling the ocean spray or maybe it was the thrill of it, but I miss that about living most of your life outdoors.

My dad has constructed an outdoor shower at their home and the boys and I love to use it after a fun day at their river (it actually seems like a lake bacause it's massive) Can't wait to go there next week!

I'm mentally preparing for our plane ride to Oregon soon! Our youngest son who is almost 4 has been displaying some rather rough behavior lately, and I'm a bit nervous since I'll be traveling with them alone. I've flown several times with them while Carl stayed behind to work, but never with a child who fought every request I had of him. Hmmm should be interesting.

Monday Monday

Picture via Coastal Living

It's the beginning of another week, and therefore one more week closer to a new school year. Don't get me wrong, I always enjoy my summers with our boys, but we're really getting into the, "I'm SOOOO bored mum!" days and they're kind wearing on my nerves right now. (The comments, not the boys) Can't wait to go to Oregon!! Yee Haw!!

Love how some of my designing blogger friends post pictures of beautiful beds on Monday. So I thought I'd contribute one of my favorites...Love the tropical feel of course, the super high beam ceiling, & the windows, but I'd paint the walls a blue, green or earthy tone...and maybe change the bedding, a bit too busy for me...

Have a wonderful week!! -Kristen

Happy Weekend!

Courtesy Greek Travels

Have a great weekend everyone!
xoxo Kristen

New 'Twilight" Trailer

If you're a big fan like Carl and I, you'll probably enjoy this new trailer just released yesterday of the Twilight Movie...just click here...Enjoy!

Small Gestures of Kindness

Twice this week my sweet friend/neighbor Eve had shown some wonderful small gestures. First she brought me a delicious Greek salad she made (we're both doing our best to be as healthy as can be) and then yesterday she brought me a candle and thought I might like it! Which I do immensely by the way & even lit it last night while reading a great "beach read"! Thanks Eve! It's little things like that that can really put a smile on one's face. I wasn't even in a bad mood, thanks to my healthy eating lately (haha) but it still made me really happy none the less. I'd like to do the same for friends and neighbors as well, I have the time, in fact we ALL have the time really...care to join me for a little "good deed doin"?

Sisters!!

Jaime, Me, & Erin (Man were we goofy: Pali Lookout, Oahu)

Serina, Kara, Me & Lorrine

Only half of the crazy Kennerley Clan

Serina, Me, Shar ( our "adopted" sister) & Lisa

My sister Erin and her new baby Cooper

Lorrine w/ her daughters Nicole & Maya

Me, Lisa, Shar & Stacy

There are 8 fantastic women in my life who I am so lucky to call sisters!! 6 of them are sister-in-laws, but in my mind they're just like my own real sisters. Jaime and Erin are my actual sisters. The girls I grew up with, who were SOOO much fun all the time, who I got into some gnarly fights with (usually with Jaime after seeing her go straight into the school restrooms once we got there and emerging head to toe in MY clothes!) I would do ANYTHING for these girls because I love them SO much!
My "other" sisters are: Serina, Lisa, Stacy, Ari, Lorrine & Kara! These girls have been the best examples to me. Being the oldest daughter, I never had anyone to look up to. Now I do. They may not know it, but I'm always learning something wonderful from them, whether it's how to be a better mum, better wife, better friend or even simpler things like learning good recipes and even how to put on makeup. (If it weren't for you Lorrine and your expertise, I'd still look like a walking zombie)

But most importantly, I know that ALL of my sisters would be there for me no matter what. And no matter how annoying I may be at times, I know they'll all love me none the less! ;-)

Journals...

My Hand Bound Books

Red Otter

I've never been very good at keeping a "written" journal myself. I'm not sure if it's out of laziness, or a lack at being a skillful writer, but I'm just not good at it. I love pictures though, although not in a scrapbooking sense. But I found some beautiful journals on Etsy, that have made me want to give it another go. Maybe I can combine the two. Fill it with lovely pictures of friends and family, vacations etc... and write little comments about each one...I think I'll give it a go...Here are a couple of my favorite etsy artists: Red Otter & My Hand Bound Books

Friday Favorites

Bueller Designs

Bueller Designs

Green Island Studios

Green Island Studios

Just wanted to share some of my favorite things with you on this Friday! One of my favorite websites is one that is owned by a girl I grew up with. It's called
Layla Grayce and I love everything on it. One of the items I love the most are their aprons. They have a sort of vintage flair to them and I'm convinced that they help me cook better! ;-)

Another website I love is Etsy and Bueller Designs are fabulous!!!! Definitely saving my money for some of his prints. They're exactly what I've been looking for! Green Island Studios also have some breathtaking prints that will also adorn my walls someday...

He get's me!

I won't go into all the details, but Carl called me today after watching a surf Doc. on TV and said, "I think I understand now why you love the beach so much..." I have been waiting to hear that from him for over 12 years. I've never questioned whether he loved me, but I did wonder if he ever "got" me, not as a mum or as his wife, but as Kristen. The beach/ocean is what molded me into the person I am today (amongst other things of course). I went there to reflect on many BIG decisions in my life. It was a place of fun, relaxation, and prayer for me. I've read many great novels there, as well as the scriptures. I am my true self when I am there. Carl could see that the last time we were in Hawaii driving on the North Shore. I was so quiet in the car...I felt like I could think clearly for the first time in a long time. He just looked over and said, "You're so different here, so relaxed". I'm not sure if he saw it, but tears started rolling down my cheeks. I miss it so much, but I'm so greatful for a beautiful healthy family. I'm greatful that Carl is happy here in Utah. It may be a sacrifice for me here, but haven't mothers been doing that for centuries for their loved ones? My time will come, but until then I have some wonderful memories to reflect upon...

A Sea Breeze

Softly the ocean waves reach for the shoreline.

Dancing back and forth...As I think about the ocean,

I feel a cool wind in my hair, and as a child running on the beach.

I begin to take flight, and sail through the

sky looking down onto the ocean...The waves crest,

and relax...I fall tired as I think of these waves.

Oh, the beach to be my home one day.

Linda Mary Rachel Haungs

Wishful Tuesday...

I'd love to be in that kayak right now!


Love this! Along with one of Carls delicious BBQ's.



How beautiful is this? And I love those hats!



Ahh, this would be bliss!

(pictures via Pottery Barn)

I took a week long break from blogging, and am excited to take a look at some of our friends blogs...I am in much need of some inspiration right now. Upon returning to our home I felt that I desperately needed to do some re-painting. My neighbor painted one of her rooms a gorgeous blue/gray color, which is what I had intended to paint our kitchen originally...somehow it turned into turqouise (which I like to wear, but not really see on my walls), so that is on my to-do list. I am also ready to start decorating, but seeing as we just bought a new car it'll have to go on the back burning for a bit. So I'll just take the time to gather ideas (my favorite blog for decorating ideas is from a blog in Denmark: All-Things-Blue, she is so creative and I am always inspired after reading her blog) and while I'm at it, I'll post some pics of places that I would love to be RIGHT now, along with a good book, my handsome husband and our boys splashing around at the beach...enjoy!

Much needed family vacation!

Carls sister Lorrine & her beautiful family!


We picked 3 boxes full of strawberries that Lorrine made into yummy jam!

Carl with daddy

We've returned from our little vacation, and it was absolutely wonderful. We went to Washington to visit Carls sister, Lorrine and her family, and I am totally convinced that I could live there forever. They live in the cutest little town called Ferndale, complete with a main street lined with inviting mom and pop shops, a bay that would be a kayakers dream (the ocean was as smooth as glass), and farmland filled with the most delicious berries ever! We enjoyed it so much and can't wait to return! Thanks to the best hosts ever, Lorrine and Jeff!!

Happy 4th of July!!

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday, filled with tons food, family, and fireworks! We're going on a little vacation (nearly a year since we've been anywhere as a family!! Can't wait! See you when I get back! --Kristen

My Family

(My dad)

Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad. ~Author Unknown

(Jaime, Erin, and me)

If you don't understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child. ~Linda Sunshine

(Our beautiful mom)

My mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune. ~Graycie Harmon

I love summer but this is HOT!!

I love the blue wood floor, (usually I feel wood should always be kept in it's original state, but this is pretty), orchids of course are my favorite flower (they remind me of helping my grandparents in Hawaii who had a little orchid farm) the beautiful and comfy bed (that I could read on forever) and how the room opens up to the next. It's a bit small, so I'll just have to make it much, much larger...


As you can see my style differs a bit...I've never really been a bath girl myself, maybe it's because taking a soak in a tub with 4 boys banging on the door asking me to hurry up has never seemed quite relaxing to me...someday perhaps! However, I do love the tub, the faucet, and the huge window, although I can already hear Carl saying, "No way on that, what if someone can see you in there?" Ahh who cares, besides I'm sure what they would see would have them running for miles in the other direction! ;-)


A white kitchen...so clean and beautiful. I love the sink in the island, and the windows that kick out, it reminds me of Hawaii! And I LOVE the blue wood floor and of course the exposed beam ceiling once again.


(All pictures courtesy Coastal Living Magazine)
Love the wood floors, and wall of windows, open beams in ceiling, and of course the view.


I am doing my best to stay positive in this heat, (mainly for my husband) but man it is so unbelievably hot and it's only June! From October to March it's too cold to go outside and from June to September it's too hot...that leaves us with 2-3 months to enjoy the outdoors. So as I sit in our air conditioned home with all the kids, who like me are unwilling to go outside, I dream of my home on the beach...the one I plan on building someday, even if I have to do it myself!

Ahhh Summer

Mililani, Oahu @ my Aunty and Uncles place


Beach we grew up at on Big Island (Spencer Park)

No shoes, no shirt, no worries...unless you're mummy of course. I love this time of year, when the sky is completely cloudless, we can BBQ until 11 pm and still be comfortably warm outside. When I can lay on our lounge chair in the backyard read a marvelous book all the while watching the boys enjoying summer almost as much as I do. I love it because there's no bundling up 4 boys in all their protective snow gear (all of which takes me at least 30 mins. to do) and have them turn right around and say it's too cold outside. I love it because I WANT to eat healthy and light. There are no cravings for warm stews and loads of bread! But most of all because I want the boys to experience as much of the outdoors as I did while growing up. My mum and dad had all girls but we were far from being girly-girls. We rode our BMX bikes all around the neighborhood trying to out race the Delgado boys up the street. We played with our matchbox cars in the dirt. Dad took us on father/daughter camping trips ALL THE TIME, and never to an actual campsite with running showers and toilets. Oh no, our dad picked up a toilet seat from the thrift store, dug a hole in the ground and said, "Here's the toilet". I loved every single minute of my childhood, and most of all I loved being surrounded by nature.

I look forward to receiving my most favorite magazine in the mail each month, Coastal Living (http://www.coastalliving.com/) because I love looking at all the colorful pictures and reading about beautiful homes around the coasts. Someday I'll have that beautiful cedar-shake seashore Colonial with tons of living space, walls of glass, decks, and porches. My days will be full of refreshing swims in the ocean, surfing, combing the beach for shells, sea life, rocks, and sea glass...birdwatching and sand castle building...but until then, I'll enjoy my days with the boys while we run through sprinklers, slide down slip n slides, and blast each other with water guns. Hope you all enjoy the weather and have a wonderful summer...

Happy Fathers Day!!

Carl is the best husband I could ask for! He makes me laugh when he laughs at his "funny jokes", he makes me laugh when we have to re-hang several mirrors in our home so they're at the perfect "posing" height. And he makes me laugh when he asks, "Do my arms look big?" (I thought it was the wife who was supposed to ask if her jeans made her bum look big? hmm oh well);-) But in all seriousness, that's one of the traits I always wanted in a husband...someone who could make me laugh. Of course being really good-looking, and having an awesome accent didn't hurt either. ( I apologize to all of his brothers and sisters who may be reading this...just run to the nearest toilet if you need to! :-) He has always loved me, helped me feel beautiful even when I was gaining 60 lbs and on bed rest with each pregnancy. He suffered through the first 11 years of terribly prepared meals, and desserts forgotten in the oven and burned. And he has given me 4 wonderful sons who I hope can be just like their daddy someday. I love you Carl, and thank you for loving me unconditionally these last 12 years!

Painting + Yard Sale = Near Mental Breakdown!

The family room took me ALL day to finish! I decided to be safe and went with 'bamboo', and some other shade a bit darker. I spent so much time doing this room that I was a bit let down when Carl barely noticed that I had even painted at all! You can hardly tell, so that's why I went with my next shade in the kitchen...

Ok, so I know this color is extreme, but after doing "normal" colors in the living room, I found them to be SO boring, and I did say that I wanted COLOR...

The bonus room. I will probably never do stripes again! This room took me 8 hours to complete.

So what was I thinking this week?!! I painted 3 rooms, all of which took SEVERAL hours each...cleaned out our basement to prepare for our communities annual yard sale today, all the while doing my usual house wife duties. I am literally exhausted. On the days that I painted, poor Carl came home to NO dinner and a super grouchy wife. (I wouldn't eat all day, because I knew that if I left any paint unsupervised...little curious hands would grab hold of a paint brush and paint my carpet which I just had cleaned!)

The painting turned out "ok", considering the walls are so textured that the paint kept bleeding through the tape, but I'm glad it's done. My sister Erin said she liked it, and that it looked like a hotel in Hawaii. Hmm is that a compliment, because it's not if she stayed in some of the cheap hotels that we've stayed in. (Love you Erin, I know what you meant!;-)

Yard sale was good too, but man I HATE bartering (is that the right term?) I'm so afraid of hurting someones feelings that I practically give things away for free. But the money we made will go towards good use...GAS! What's up with the outrageous prices anyways? And to think that my lovely husband still wants to live the American dream and buy an SUV!! Pretty soon we'll be the only people in America driving one of those ridiculous things...but to be fair to him, we do need an SUV here in Utah...our pitiful van doesn't do too well in the snow.

So anyways, here are pictures I took of my paint jobs...and yes the house does sort of look like a cheap hotel in Hawaii, but can you blame me? I need some color in my life when most everything here is kinda brown and dusty most of the year...so please humor me! All in all though it was a great week and it feels good to cross some things off of my to-do list.

How Can I Be

We found this video on our friends blog! And it IS "freakin awesome" just like they said! Enjoy, I'm off to get our sons ukulele lessons! :-)

Locks of Love

This is not a post fishing for comments on my new haircut...PROMISE! I'm doing this for those of you who have asked if I was brave enough to go through with it! Well, here you go! I cut off nearly 13 inches and am now able to donate it to 'Locks of Love'. It feels great and I wish I had done it a long time ago. Sometimes it can be scary to do something out of your comfort zone, but in this situation it's worth it because I know it'll benefit someone who really needs it. So your mission if you so chose to accept it: Do something out of your comfort zone today or this week, even if it's scary...it'll feel great! :-)

http://www.locksoflove.org/

Culture, Respect, Identity & GO ALL BLACKS!

I've been thinking a lot lately about culture, respect, and identity. I think it started when I received a call from Kobe's school nurse a month ago and she had said to me,"I'm not certain but I think Kobe may have broken a rib when he was kicked in the stomach." Wait a minute... what did she just say? I didn't even ask any questions, I just packed up the little boys and went straight to the school. Apparently, Kobe was kicked by another boy in his class because the boy said Kobe was a Mexican, and he didn't like him...What's up with that, and who cares what race you are or what culture you're from? This was a hard situation I found myself in. Where could this kid have gotten the idea that it was bad to be anything then what he was...his parents maybe, TV, video games? I had to pray a lot about it before I could help Kobe with this, I was pretty upset about it. He had never experienced anything like this before. All I could come up with was teaching him more about our Saviors life, and that no matter what happened to him, he always FORGAVE those who condemned him. Kobe, being the wonderful, mature kid that he is, understood what I was saying and went to school the next day and forgave the boy...hmmm lucky for HIM, I wanted to ring the kids neck! :-) P.S. There were luckily NO ribs broken.

Before we moved to Utah two years ago, we had the most awesome experience living in New Zealand where Carls family is from. I can't say enough good things about New Zealand. There is so much cultural diversity down there, but also a real respect for cultural identity. The All Blacks (the National Rugby team of N.Z.) perform a war dance called the Haka before every match, you might have seen it before BYU football games and local H.S. games around Utah. There is an aura about the haka that I can't quite put my finger on. I actually get a little teary-eyed when I see it. :-) I'm not even from there but I'm proud that my husband is. (He would get the same way when he would hear the American National Anthem especially after 9/11.)

ANYWAYS, I think it's great that we're all from different backgrounds and I hope Carl and I can teach our sons to embrace their Japanese, Samoan & Caucasian heritage. And that in this world, there is only one race...the Human Race...ok sit down, you can stop your applause now, that speech deserves a pulitzer prize, dontcha think?! ;-)

Nesian Mystik - Nesian 101

This is a group from New Zealand! Thanks Serina!

Officially Yours (official video)

I officially dedicate this song to my best friend in the whole wide world...Carl. You're the best honey! And thanks to my sister-in-law Kara who reminded me that Craig David is still out there making great music! P.S. Don't forget to pause the music on our playlist below so you can hear it.

Laundry, laundry & MORE shtinkin laundry!

I'm good at laundry...no really I AM!! There's never a pile of clothes anywhere...I do at least 3 loads a day...and I really don't mind it! Honestly! EXCEPT when my dear husband Carl starts to look for a shirt that he just wore YESTERDAY for heavens sake and gets just a tad bit annoyed if it's not back in the closet, washed, pressed and ready to go. I love him alot, he's the best hubby in the world, but can we try on another shirt please? So my remedy for my lack of selective perfectionism ( a term from my friend Omi) in this endeavor? He'll just have to build me this beautiful laundry room that I found on one of my favorite blogs: The House That A-M Built. Love it! Maybe then I'll be that "perfect" wife...or maybe I'll hold out a little while until he can figure out that dirty clothes left on the floor belong in the hamper they're lying next too!! Have a wonderful day and if you're in Utah...enjoy this BEAUTIFUL weather!!

Just call me Jack...

Okay, I mentioned yesterday that one of my many goals was to learn to play the acoustic guitar...and low and behold I found a "used" one on Craigslist or was it KSL this morning for $25!!! WHAT?! It was from a young girl who said she can play pretty well now so her parents are going to buy her a much more expensive one!! I didn't get my hopes up before I saw it keeping the low price in mind, but when I saw her drive up in her fancy expensive Mercedes, I figured her parents could afford anything for her. I was stoked at how perfect it was, no scratches or broken strings. So now I just have to learn how to play it! I can't wait. SO what else is on my list of goals? A marathon with Lorrine and hopefully Serina and Stacy next year, going to Greece and/or Tuscany, and someday learning Spanish! I'd really like to learn a second language and seeing as "speaking in a British accent (an accent I adore ;-))isn't actually another language, I'll give Spanish a go. Although I do sound pretty cool when I read my Jane Austen books, so I may have to settle for that!

Journal Time

So I've been thinking of ways to keep the boys minds active this summer and thought it would be nice for them to keep a journal of all their pictures thus far in their lives. So I printed out pics at Walgreens (which by the way was SO cheap), and today they've started to organize them. Throughout the summer they'll practice their writing/spelling skills by writing a description of each picture. So far they're loving it, and laughing at all their memories. Lets just hope they'll love WRITING about them too! :-)

This is going to be a totally random post. I've spent the morning doing my usual: workout, clean house, and now blogging. For some reason I've had this dark cloud hanging over my head these last few days, (could it be from the 40 degree weather and dark rain clouds outside in MAY? Or this darn head cold that I've had forever? GEEZ!) Not sure, but it was nice to talk to my sister-in-law Lorrine this morning and "VENT", and also hear her vent. Nothings worse then venting to someone who never seems to have anything to vent about. :-)I also enjoyed reading friends blogs this morning who have also had to vent lately. We've all had different challenges this last week, but it's nice to know I'm not alone in the world of stay-at-home mommy's. Sometimes I go crazy with SO much to do, yet it feels like I have nothing to do. Does that make any sense? Everyday is the same thing, mommy duties, wife duties, mommy duties, wife duties. (And before you go and say, "Oh my gosh...why is she complaining, it's so lovely to stay at home and be with my perfect children", all I'm saying is that yes, I LOVE MY CHILDREN, but sometimes I need a break from my everyday routine) So as a result I've decided to do a few things about it:

1. Cut off my hair! GASP...Nothing crazy, probably about 7 inches or so...it's just hair right?! I don't want to do the classic "Utah bob" that I see every where, but just a version of it...I'm thinking Jenny McCarthy's cut just a little bit longer. HMMM, we'll see, it may just be a phase.

2. I also would like to get the beach cruiser above because it's a classic, and it reminds me of my CA days, and my many bike rides from Laie to Turtle Bay to Sunset! Ahhh, miss those carefree days.

3. AND I also plan on learning to play the acoustic guitar, just keeping my eyes open for a good deal.

So those are just a few ways to help me get back to ME, and still enjoy/LOVE being a stay at home mommy! ;-)

Hope you all have a wonderful day, and if you need to...VENT, it feels awfully good! :-)

INTRODUCING COOPER GRANT FORSLOFF!!

This is a picture of my newest nephew, Cooper Grant Forsloff!! Erin and Lane had their first baby last night and I can't wait to see him!! We have 27 neices and nephews on Carls side but this is the very first baby on my side! Erin had a great labor, but after hearing all about it from my mom who was there, I thought to myself, "How in the world did I do it 4 times?" I'm so happy that I get to watch Erin grow as a new mommy , and hopefully be able to share some of my experiences with her, and advice when she needs it. I never had an older sister to look to, so I can't wait to watch their little family grow!

Official Jason Mraz - I'm Yours video

Love the Hawaiian scenery!

Jason Mraz

I'm a big fan of Jason Mraz! His music has purpose and meaning unlike a lot of the "stuff" out there right now...I don't think it was until after I had children that I really started 'listening' to the lyrics of the music I was singing too. I remember the day I was driving on Kam Highway on one of my many beach trips to the North Shore, and I heard Kobe (who was 5 at the time) singing "It's gettin hot in here, so take off all your clothes..." WHAT?!!! I didn't realize I was singing Nelly's song, Hot in Here!!! Geez, what a terrible mom I was, and how did I even know the words to a Nelly song? So it was then that I realized I needed to listen to good music not only for myself but for my children. Growing up while driving in the car with my parents, we always listened to the Oldies, Michael Jackson, Beatles, etc...we didn't talk in the car, we sang! Now my children will get to grow up singing to Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, songs etc...:-) while driving in the car with me! Hope you all have a great day and in the words of Jasons song "Live High" Hope you all 'live high, live mighty, live righteously, taking it easy...and be a good deed doer'!

Jason Mraz Documentary
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1543257429/bctid1543236757

Kohala

I set out this morning hoping to 1. workout 2. clean all 3 bathrooms & 3. organize all of the closets. Ambitious I know. I succeeded with the first 2 however the closets will have to be tackled another day. So instead I "blogged"...I never could have done this with babies, but now that all of the boys are older, I seem to have more time for this "kind" of stuff! ;-) Sometimes I feel guilty (which lasts all of 3 seconds)and think maybe I should get a job...and then I remind myself that I worked 24/7 for the last 12 years as a mom and personal trainer and it's ok to take a break! So I'll enjoy my blogging, and be greatful for the friends I am finding through this new blogging world I've discovered recently.

The picture above is of Kohala on the Big Island...my grandparents live nearby, and today being a chilly day in MAY for heavens sake, I am missing it right now!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

"She broke the bread into two fragments and gave them to her children, who ate with eagerness. 'She hath kept none for herself,' grumbled the sergeant. 'Because she is not hungry,' said a soldier. 'No,' said the sergeant, 'because she is a mother.'" - Victor Hugo

On this day, I am reminded of how greatful I am to be a Mother of 4 wonderful boys. I am greatful that Heavenly Father trusted me enough to send them to Carl and I. To raise them up in righteousness, to serve full-time missions, and to be married in the Temple someday. I'm greatful for my own mother, for her strength and her compassion. And how she taught me to be independent and strong. And I am also greatful for my mother-in-law, Taimi...for raising a wonderful righteous son, who did serve a full-time mission, and who was able to take me to the Temple!

Happy Mother's Day!!

"There are those who spend lifetimes in houses that have nothing to do with who they really are. They may be perfectly designed, yet if they fail to reflect the personalities of the people who live in them, the very essence of intimacy is missing, and this absence is disturbingly visible."

-Rose Tarlow, The Perfect House

Throughout the coming year, Carl and I will finally be able to decorate our home the way we really want...many things have made this possible and we're looking forward to the "adventure" of doing this together. Our tastes are pretty similar (THANK GOODNESS), he just asks that he as final say on the SIZE of T.V.'s, and whether a couch is comfortable enough. Easy enough right? We'll see how easy going he is when I FINALLY get to paint some walls...I can't wait! The above pictures are color palletes that I'm liking at this moment...but with me you never know. I love SO many different styles, and can be pretty eclectic if I wanna be...check out etsy.com when you get a chance. There are some great pieces that have inspired me so far!

Twilight!!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I read Stephenie Meyers Twilight Series in 4 days! I LOVED her books and especially her characters! The movie is coming out on my BIRTHDAY 12/12/08!! I can't wait to see it! Here is the link that Mrs. Meyers thinks has the best trailer. I just have to mention that I really like the actors who were hired for these parts.

Oh, & by the way...I finally convinced Carl to read them and he CAN'T put them down...of course he likes Jacob because he's so huge and muscle(y), but I've asked him to try and learn a bit more from Edward's example...who doesn't have a crush on him right?!

http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1585900&vid=226476

"Complaining is silly. Either act or forget."

Book: Things I Have Learned In My Life

I found this quote on Beach Bungalow's blog and I really liked it. I've been complaining about living in Utah for the last 2 years, and it's been useless. It's not the people, I LOVE the people in Utah and I really appreciate being surrounded by the Gospel here, it's just the climate. It's either too cold in the winter or way too hot in the summer. I also know that many people here see the real beauty that Utah has to offer, but I think growing up near/on the beach I was surrounded by a "different" type of beauty that was more colorful to look at. SO with that said, I plan on looking at Utah with a more colorful perspective and do my best to FORGET, OR wait until the day I can ACT...and move our family back to Hawaii! :-) I better find some way to become rich quick then!

I found this beautiful little sun room on a link on www.boatshedchic.blogspot.com . I've always wanted a sun room with a great big comfy couch where I could read all day and watch the boys play outside. And of course I love the water outside. This is a bed and breakfast somewhere in Australia.