Photo Tag from Meg

Meg dished out a photo tag: Kitchen-right now, Something in my house that is red, the view out my front door, and one of our meals today!
That was fun, Thanks Meg!

Amazing, Wonderful and Difficult

Sophie has had a trying couple of weeks. Therefore I have had a trying couple of weeks. She is a fun, sweet baby, but I was ready to sell her to the gypsies this week.

First let me tell you a story: The other day I was sitting at my desk, Sophie had been content for a few rare moments so I was attempting to get something, anything, done to validate my need for achievement. Then I heard, step, grunt, thump, step, grunt, thump, step, thump, grunt. I thought I better investigate. I peeked around the corner and saw Sophie going up the stairs with her diaper bag, she would step up, pull the diaper bag up to the step in front of her and then follow behind the bag to the next step and then repeat. (Did I mention that she is 14 months old, and very, very determined?)

As amused as I was, I could not prevent my nurturing self to allow her to struggle, so I walked up behind her and asked her if she wanted some help. It was then that I smelled the trouble...I now understood her determined act to get the diaper bag up the stairs and find her mother. She accepted my help by handing me the bag, she then finished going up the stairs, ran down the hall at her fastest toddlers pace, and went into my bedroom. I followed behind, and when I reached my room she was lying on the floor where I always change her, waiting for me to clean her up! That is the amazing part. She is always amazing me with how much she understands and how she can communicate what she wants so clearly without words and never, relent.

The wonderful part is every time she is not practicing her difficult act. She has a million dollar smile, a Miss America wave and the body language of a 15 month old, put that all together and you get an act that is almost impossible to say no to and too cute to try and describe. But I will try. Imagine this: Relief Society the Sunday before Christmas, many gift bags, goodies and packages lining the seats going down the isle.

Sophie-sweet Sophie with the million dollar smile and the Miss America wave headed down the isle, pausing at each seat, looking up at the seats occupant, flashing the "smile", throwing out a wave and then squatting down next to the beautifully packaged bag, hands on her knees, waiting for the "auntie" to share some of that Christmas joy they are displaying next to their seats. She made out pretty good, until I decided it was time to quietly exit the room and leave the lesson and the ladies to continue in undisturbed peace.

This is where the difficult starts: Imagine the relatively small head of an infant being thrown forcefully back, the same head that I spent months protecting from siblings, dogs, friends...etc, is now being used as desperate leverage to escape from my arms. That was accompanied by the SCREAM, yes you know the one, not every child can do it, it is the one that hurts your ears, heart, toes and pancreas. Yes, my child, my 4th child can do the scream. It continued, along with the head throwing until we passed the Primary Presidents stroller that contained a container of red vines.

Now the screaming stopped, the reach started, (how does my 14 month old know that red vines are yummy?) the sweet little girl came back. But, no I would not give in that easily! I kept walking, the prior scenario resumed and we made it in to the chapel for closing exercises, I quickly put Sophie in the nursing position, got her latched on and breathed a sigh of relief. Ember said the closing prayer of primary and I got to be there. The moral, thank goodness for boobs and the amazing, wonderful and difficult babies that love them.

What's in a Calling?

Good Sunday! Pretty normal day, mellow morning with the family, spent a lot of time reading for my Sunday School lesson with my 15 and 16 year old kids and came up with a cool little hand out. Made Breakfast, made lunch, cleaned, cleaned, cleaned...still not clean enough, but is it ever? Got to church early, which may have been a first, Troy got a new calling and here is the sad news...I got released. I have never been so attached to my calling. I love teaching the Book of Mormon and I have so enjoyed reading it again this year. My mom sent me the best books called Book of Mormon made Easier by David Ridges and they rock...it is like having a really great teacher sitting with me as I read. He has notes and commentary in the verses and he brings out some views that I have never seen on my own. So I would highly recommend them to anyone! I think he has them for other books of scripture as well. Anyway I can't wait to see what they will use me for next...nursery!? Not nearly as intellectually stimulating, but as least there are snacks! Sophie is almost old enough too!!!

So here is my question: if you could pick any church calling, what would you pick and why?

For me, I would have to say...hmmm, I would pick any teaching position with kids or youth. Why? Because I learn so much, I really enjoy little people and its fun!

I Miss Meg.

Meg is gone and she took my Lilikoi with her. Now who am I supposed to ride my bike over to see this morning? Sophie is ready to go, Ember insists that she needs to finish watching Clifford first, and that is okay since I am not sure where we are going to ride, but I want to go see Meg. Think I can ride all the way to Sandy, UT? I could try. But what about Malias Birthday this week? We are supposed to ALL go to lunch it just won't be as yummy without Meg. Okay and what about Thanksgiving? I am just going to skip the turkey this year, leave it in the freezer until my heart feels like roasting the bird. I just can't do it.
Why can't Star Trek be real and we could really have a transporter and visit anywhere we wanted instantly...and freely. Then Obama would tax the idea and the manufacturer of the machine and the smart little men that figure it out and the people who use it and then me and he would just ruin everything. My world is falling apart, no Meg and 4 years with a socialist, friend to terriorists running or ruining our country. WHaaaaaaaa! I have regressed to Lily's age-and I like it here...

Rainy Day

It's Raining, It's Pouring...really pouring!!! I took the kids to school this morning in lots of rain, 1/2 way home Ember said , "Ethan's backpack is on the floor" so we turned around and I ran the 50 feet to his classroom and back and I was soaked! Back home for dry clothes and then Ember and I decided it was a good day for cookies and hot chocolate. Malia, Kalena and Kamalei came over to join in the fun and Ember added nail polish and makeup to the activities. She then declared it a girls day. Sophie and Kamalei had fun mauling eachother and Ember and Kalena dressed up while Malia and I got to visit. It was a perfect rainy day!
Troy is in the mainland this week, so although he is missed, it is a nice opportunity to do Amy stuff and not feel guilty if I feed the kids smoothies for dinner, organize the closet and leave it all over the bed...all night, play with my iphone in bed watching "youtube". I found a new treadmill routine for my workout anyone want to join my treadmill team?. Look at the bottom of my page for the video link.

Pumpkin's

I love pumpkins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin carving, pumpkin candles, pumpkin sugar cookies with orange frosting...it is just the time of year for pumpkins!
We went to our first pumpkin patch on Maui this year and had a marvelous time. We got to pull a pumpkin right off the vine and that was a first for all of us! My dad was here visiting for the weekend because Ethan is now 8 and was baptized on Saturday! So Captain was able to go to the pumpkin patch with us. The kids really love having him around.
Troy and I ran the Xterra 10K on Saturday morning and that was awesome! Troy finished in 1 hr 2 minutes and I finished in 1 hr 7 minutes...the exact same time that I finished in 2005-wierd! It is a great off road course with lots of uphill (1/2 of the course) and rocky downhills, logs, trees, and sand...deep beach sand and lots of it. It was a great challenge, very satisfying to finish and the endorphins lasted a long time.
While we ran Sydney and Captain Grandpa snorkled and saw 7 turtles and an eel. Ethan boogy boarded, Ember danced on the shore, and Sophie played with our babysitter Tani in the sand. All in all it was a lovely morning.
So happy fall, happy halloween, happy pumpkin carving and squishie orange hugs to all of you!

Dirt, Sunset, and Vitamins

No Messages on the answering maching tonight, because all my buddies were out in the dirt with me! Brooke- great suprise visit!!! Had a fun evening of dirt, quads, and dinner and dirt and dirty kids and dirt and the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen. I was looking down at it as it set behind Lanai, with clouds flirting on the top of the island and all the ocean around it and the south and west shores of Maui before me. Definetly one to remember and share.

I have been out of training with back/shoulder muscle spasms last week...very lame, but it made me take a closer look at how I am treating myself and can I do better? I need to do better. So with a little help from Mona at alive and well here is what I learned:

I have learned some good nutritional running tips for training, especially training while nursing: Eat 1/2 your weight in protein every day! Veggies and good fat: olive oil, avocado, nuts.
Cover your basics with a good multi vitamin, add extra calcium, magnesium, potassium. Cardic Q10 is super for muscles and heart, L-carnitine, L-glutamine and Ribose are great recovery tools. I have to admit to getting large pill boxes and setting up each days worth of nutritional supplements...geeky, but a time saver and good reminder to take them. If monday's box is empty then I didn't forget!

AM before a run: Water with emergen-C
1 1/2 teas. Ribose
1 heaping teas. L-Glutamine
(I also add 2 T Dr. Shultz superfood)

After run: Blend a Protein Shake
2 scoops whey protein
Unsweetened Almond milk
banana or berries
1 T almond butter
Ice

(The shake is good to split for a am and pm snack.)

I try to pop the pills with food in my stomach, that way I don't feel yucky. Okay, now if I could just stop eating Haupia ice cream!

Excuses and Summer

Well I apologize to all of you that have been faithfully checking for more posts. I have 3 excuses to explain-#1 I suddenly felt a bit like a fish in a bowl and didn't really want to post my life. Then I thought...hey I love these people, they love me, what do I have to hide. #2 once over #1 I was too busy this summer playing as hard as possible with my kids to want to sit at the computer. #3 Hmmm I can't remember #3. So now on to better things like me and my crew!

We had a great, if not too short summer. We beached alot, windsurfed, surfed, hiked, biked, camped in the backyard, visited Haleakala National Park, danced, planted a garden, played with friends, discovered poha berries, picked and made blackberry jam, baked, barbcued, and ate!

The kids got along really well and Ember so enjoyed having Ethan and Sydney home to play with her. Sophie loved all the attention and I loved all the help. We had a chore chart that rotated once a week and the kids are maturing into contributing little people. Ethan still loves to spend every spare moment playing Legos and Sydney read so much this summer I actually had to ask her to stop reading every once in awhile. She really enjoyed a Warrior series about a clan of cats. Ember loves to dress up and she got to take ballett this summer and she loved it.
Troy did the windsurfing race series and had fun. He had to race semi-pro so it was challenging, but good. He is training for the triathalon too and loves playing with Sophie. She is a daddy's girl.
I am still training. I try to run, bike and swim at least once a week and often more. I love training-or playing with a reason to push me. I got out mountain biking a couple times lately and it was so pretty.
So that is us.
New weeks goals: To make a menu and shopping lists for 3 seperate weeks and get life more organized.

A Memorial Day

Monday was a great day off for our family. We took the troops to swinging bridges and did the hike with our usual canal walking and tunnel exploring. We lost some slippers, found some slippers and made some blisters. (Couldn't resist the rhyme!) Zack had a ball as usual and even made some new dog buddies. When we made it up to the swimming hole, Troy was holding Sophie and she so wanted to come in the water. But this is the coldest water in Hawaii and hard to get in even for the big kids and I. Well I finely started putting her toes in and then her legs and she was kicking her legs and smiling and leaning for the water, so we went in a little bit more and little bit more until she was all the way in and loving it. I was so surprised. She didn't even seem to mind the cold and just smiled, kicked, wiggled and splashed. It was cute. When her lips turned blue I decided she needed to get out, but that was after 10 minutes of complete joy and satisfaction on her part. As for the training. Malia and I did the pool today and I got in a 20 minute swim with fins and it was a great workout. Rode the inside recumbent bike tonight 10 miles, 34 minutes...very sweaty :) Had an absolute awesome run on Saturday evening. Endorphin high was great and I didn't want to stop although Troy and Sophie were out in the street waiting for me!

Week off

I had to take last week off. For some reason my left foot was having issues, (not me but my foot). The Big toe was sore...ingrown nail? and my heel cracked open. I increased my fish oil intake so hopefully that will help! It was actually so nice to take the week off. I am usually not too hip on being stuck into a schedule although I know it is very helpful to reach my goals. My body is not recovering from the weight lifting very quickly and that may just be because I am out of shape, nursing a baby and not replacing enough protein? This week I was able to swim twice. Tonight we dashed out the door as a family and only had 30 minutes until the pool closed so Troy and I were going to do 15 minutes each but my friend Kazuko was there and took Sophie for me so Troy and I swam together. He was a good coach and just goes to show me how much improving I can do with a little direction. I ran this week as well and it was a good run, but I think I need to run 2 times a week so it gets easier and my distance can get longer. Sophie calls....

Today is the start of week four. So far so good. This saturday I left Sophie with Troy and surfed for just over on hour. It was a fun day, not too crowed and nice clean waves. Today I mopped the floors, did 1/2 of my upper body workout. Did a science experiment with Ember and Ethan (he stayed home today). Sophie took a good nap which helped. My body if feeling stronger, not so chubby with baby fat and I have good energy. I drink Dr. Schultz superfood every am with an emergencyC and I feel good with that. I need more protein. Tomorrow I am looking forward to my run without sore legs. I have run after my lower body workout the last two times and that is sore! Better plannng this week!

Okay, so I am off to a slow start on the blog, but here goes. I am going to attempt to motivate myself to get into shape to do another (my second) triathlon this coming September. I have a 7 month old baby girl, Sophie, and she is my forth child. Kids: Sydney is 9, Ethan is 7, Ember is 3. I did my first triathlon when Ember was 1 in 2005. So triathlon training with kids is challenging, but all the more rewarding.
Schedule: Monday-weight train lower body; Tuesday-run, bike or swim; Wednesday-weight train upper body; Thursday-run, bike or swim; Friday-weight train arms and abs; Saturday-run, bike or swim. The flexibility comes in what kind of cardio fits best into the day. I get a swim in by trading kids with another mom that also likes to swim. We don't have a set day to go we just try to go once a week. I run in the morning before my husband has to leave so that he can watch the baby and feed the older kids breakfast. I have been biking on Friday and pulling the youngest two in the bike trailer to Embers preschool class.
This is my third week of following this schedule. Today I put workout clothes on when I got up and finely finished my workout at about 2:30pm...so much for getting up early and getting it done. It took three attempts, but I got it done!

Day One

I have wanted to put a blog together for some time. Hopefully this will be a fun spot for my Family and Friends to get a peek into our lives and share in our fun times. We are really blessed with so many close friends that were humbled by the love we feel. My goal is to share what we have, pass it around and make the world a sunnier, happier, peaceful place!