Next Stop, Train Museum in Sacramento

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Our next stop was a train museum that held real trains that you can tour through. There was a sleeping car and dining car that you could walk through to see how they lived on trains. Crazy. So small and squished. The movies always make it look so much larger and cozier. Stew came here with his grandparents when he was younger, and I think I had been here when I was younger too (can't remember). The last time we came I was pregnant with Julia. The kids had a great time. They each got a train charm that we put as a necklace (Liam's not included. He just holds it :) ). There are some pictures of the girls with their fans they bought at Sutter's Fort too. After the museum we walked to an ice cream parlor. Liam was in heaven! They had my ultimate favorite....BUBBLE GUM! No one carries that anymore. I wonder if i'll ever be too "old" for bubble gum ice cream! YUM!

First Stop for the Summer, Sutter's Fort

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We took a trip to Vancouver, WA for a family reunion at my Grandma Oopeedoop and Papa Speed's house for 4th of July. We took our time getting there and made our first stop in Sacramento. That's where we met up with my family and toured with them. Stew's grandparents lived there for years, so we made some stops at Stew's memories. We got to see the house of his grandparents. They have passed on, and it was special to be there. It was fun to share that memory with our kids. Kirra will be studying California history in school next year, so we made sure we stopped at some good CA tour spots. The girls enjoyed Sutter's Fort, and even bought their own chinese fans at the gift shop. Liam loved the canon that shot off at noon, and was unaffected by the boom!

The Thomases

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Michelle, the last and final Louis to be married, tied the knot on June 24, to Dallin Thomas. We could not have been more proud! We love Dallin. They are living in GA, so we won't get to see them too often. But we had a blast while they were here! Lots of partying and playing! Their wedding day was beautiful. Even in June, and it wasn't too hot! They were the most beautiful couple. Being on a Tuesday, no one else was being married that day, so they let all of us (sisters and our mom) go into the bridal room to help her get ready. (Usually it's too crowded) It was fun to share that moment with her and to be with all my sisters and mom in that beautiful room. Thank you to Brent (Lisa's husband) who kept the kids entertained, to Lynn and Terry (my in-laws) for helping keep my kids happy, and Katie (my cousin) for babysitting while we were in the temple. Party, Party!! It was a wonderful day!

Kindergarten Graduation

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Here are some cute pictures of Malia at her "graduation." This word always cracks me up. And I hear Mr. Incredible in my head every time. "He's moving from one grade to another." But, regardless, she looks adorable. Malia is my "fashion" girl. It was a luau, so we created a luau "look" that was still modest. Notice the accessories. She could have worn a sun-dress, instead she put this together. She usually dresses herself, but I have to approve sometimes or make some alterations. She cracks me up with the things she chooses, not because it doesn't match, but because she comes up with the most creative outfits,/layers, and looks great. She's beyond her years. Boy, are we in trouble when she hits high school! Yikes!

Liam Dance?

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We can't leave out Liam for the recital. He was such a trooper! Since the recitals were combined, it was a little longer than my piano recitals usually last. Liam was a PERFECT baby, if I may brag! Luckily he had some great family members there to hold him and keep him entertained. There were 35 dancers and 15 piano students performing. The dancers performed about 3 dances each and each piano student performed 2 songs. It seems like a lot, but it was the BEST recital to date. Here are some pictures of my Dad performing, my nephew Greyson, and my cousin Katie, just to name a few of my students. (We missed a pic of Kirra. Oops. We have it on video though. ha ha) My favorite thing with Trisha's performances, is the music is GREAT music and clean, the costumes are one of a kind and modest, and the dance moves are clean and AGE appropriate. I get tired of seeing recitals with little girls dressing like they are ready to hit the streets. (to put it delicately) This is Kirra's 4th studio, and I couldn't be happier! It's even better that it's their Aunt. I couldn't have been any prouder as a teacher and especially as a MOM!

Julia Dance

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Here are Julia's pics. Stew took the pictures for all the dancers, hence some of the "behind the scenes" shots. He took the pictures from our garage and he does an AMAZING job! Julia was such a doll in the show. My favorite dance was the Bassanova, because they shook their hips while they spun in a circle. I just loved watching her shake her hips. DARLING! This class was the "aaahhhh" of the crowd. This was Julia's first recital, and she did great! She danced to Bassanova, Animal Crackers, and Christmas TIme. Another performer for the Van Buskirk family!

Malia Dance

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Here are the pictures of Malia's dances. She was only supposed to be in 3 dances (Lollipop, Teddy Bear- by Elvis, and Andrews Sisters' Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree), but the other class that was her age, was small for the show. Trisha taught Malia the dances 3 days before the show, and she ROCKED! We were so proud. She loves to perform! Just ask her, and she'll dance for you. The other dances she did, were Papa Loves Mambo and Mr. Sandman.

Kirra Dance

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The girls were in a dance recital at the end of May (yes, I know, I'm a little behind.) We have been very busy since, and I am finally catching up. Kirra performed in 2 dances, and performed with the cheer squad. She also performed 2 piano solos. My sister, Trisha, is their dance teacher and since so many of her students are my piano students, we combined recitals. It was really fun. It had a good flow from dancers to piano players. The piano students performed while the dancers were changing. Kirra's 2 dances were "Black Horse and a Cherry Tree" and "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics. She performed 2 songs with cheer and 4 cheers. (She even got to lead one) I'm so proud of her. She really loves this!

A Day at the Zoo

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Every year we take the kids to San Diego Wild Animal park, on founder's day. It's free! Great tradition. The kids love it! This year my dad got to come. It was a very fun day! And it's never crowded! We even got to feed the birds. I was okay with one, then two, then three birds on my arm, but when the fourth landed, that was pushing the limits. Other kids were asking for me to share. YES! Take them! That's Malia's least favorite spot. The girls got to see their favorite animals. Kirra loves the giraffe, Malia loves the zebra, but Julia needs to go to China for the panda or Australia to see the kangaroo. Next trip?

Life with Julia

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You can't tell, but Julia has wrapped herself in her pillow case. She is always coming up with the craziest things. She is constantly making us laugh! She is a goofy girl!

a Brother with only Sisters

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Poor boy! Here he is with his sisters sunglasses. He loved wearing them. He even pushed them (to get them off I'm sure) and they went to the top of his head and he left them there. I don't know if you can tell, but they are pink and Hello Kitty. He's cool! The next picture I need to blog is him playing with a Cinderella Barbie in the bath. His favorite toy in the tub. He's rolling everywhere and sits all by himself. He's getting so big. This week he even broke in 4 new teeth within 3 days. Ouch! He's 6 1/2 mo. Big boy!

Dallin's Graduation

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Here are some pictures of Dallin's graduation. He graduated with his Masters from Emory College, Rollins School of Public Health. He's going to be a Dr.. Mr. Smarty! I was glad I got to be there. We love Dallin and are excited to have him be a part of our CRAZY family. He fits right in!

Trip to Georgia

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I took a trip to Georgia to see Michelle and go to her bridal shower! It was such a fun trip. It was just me and Liam. He was perfect. People couldn't believe how good he was on the plane. Even the 2 mid-20's guys I was pinned in between on the way home. Even when I had to nurse Liam. (That was fun. ha ha) We did a lot of fun site seeing, like seeing Margaret Mitchell's home and the CNN building. We met a lot of wonderful people. They really are very friendly in the South. I even got to see Dallin (Michelle's Fiance') graduate with his Masters. Go Dallin! It was a GREAT trip. Only problem, it was not long enough. Another bummer was it was on Mother's day weekend, so I missed seeing the girls sing at church. But it was the most relaxing mother's day I could ask for. Dallin and Michelle barbequed salmon and asparagus and fresh mashed potatoes, made especially by Dallin (secret recipe). It was really fun when we went to Michelle's singles ward for church. I forgot how quiet sacrament meeting could be! Liam was the "oh's" and "awes" of the meeting. Thank you Michelle and Dallin for showing me a GREAT time!

Best Folder

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I was having the girls help me fold the laundry, and Julia surprised us all! Usually I just give her the rags or dish towels. Who knew she could do this! She REALLY folded this all by herself. I think she might have to teach Kirra and Malia how to fold. :) They weren't folding laundry at her age. She's only 3!

A Dynamite Whistler Adventure

I thought I'd post what I was doing while Kristine was in Idaho. Now keep in mind that this trip was all planned and paid for long before the graduation trip came up. Please don't judge me and call me a deadbeat dad. While that may still be true, I don't think this is the evidence that proves it.

I've been going on trips with these guys (at least Scott [bro-in-law] and Andy [Scott's best friend]) for more than the last 15 years. There have a number of surfing trips to Baja, a trip to Whistler once previous, and countless surf / skate / snowboard sessions around the local spots. There is always a theme, or themes that pop up. This trip was Napoleon Dynamite quotes, and I think we exhausted nearly every one of them. Scott and myself are HS teachers and Andy is a college prof, so we hear stuff like this all of the time. Matt is a Dr., so he hears them also, so it was too much fun to be quoting Napoleon, Kip, Deb, Pedro and Uncle Rico. A couple of other themes popped up too, but the main one was definitely Napoleon. The video was made by the ubber-talented Andy Norman. Enjoy!

Stew

Very Busy Family!

I know it's been a long time since I've posted, but you'll see why. We haven't been home too much lately. So, I finally got caught up today. Sorry for the pile of posts at once. I haven't even posted to other blogs lately either. I'll be looking soon. Trying to catch up! Enjoy. We've had lots of fun!

Liam's First Haircut

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Okay, when an old lady tells you "Now that's a comb over," you know it's time to cut your son's hair. I was hanging on to his baby hair, but I didn't want to be the "comb over" mom! Stew was afraid on the buzzing by his ear, but he loved the contraption. Here are the before and after shots. He is so darn cute! Now he really looks like his daddy! With his new haircut, he also wore his first tie to church. CUTIE!

Missing Teeth

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Malia lost another tooth. In fact, she's lost 5 within 4 weeks! She has only 1 tooth left in the front, right now. She lost a tooth on our trip dancing with her Aunt Lisa. Luckily they look like they will grow in fast. CRAZY! Malia, how do you eat?!

Trip to Rexburg

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People thought I was nuts when I said I was driving to Rexburg by myself. Lisa was graduating from BYU and Michelle was going through the temple for the first time. I wouldn't miss either in a million years! Luckily, last minute, my parents (who were originally going to fly) and Trisha decided to go, and drive, so we went together. It was very fun. We had some long stops, but the kids needed the stretch. A 13 hour trip, up and back. Not bad. I stayed with my best friend, Marci, for a day in Saratoga Springs. We took the kids to the Monte L. Bean museum (had to see the Liger!) in Provo, and the kids had fun jumping on the trampoline in the snow (NEVER done that before!), and playing "Zoinks" a Scooby Doo game. Then I picked up Tracey at her friend's house, and we headed for Rexburg. We all made the graduation by minutes, having time to change our clothes. Then the next day was all about Michelle going to the temple. Very AWESOME to have all my family there (aside from husbands). Then we drove back to Salt Lake for some shopping on Saturday, preparing for Michelle's upcoming wedding. I will save the shots of the dress for after the wedding. Surprise! We also drove by Brody Dezember's studio (Lisa and Brent's wedding photographer) and got to see the HUGE displays of them. Here is a shot from the outside window. I think he really liked their shots. There were, I think, 4 floor to ceiling posters from their wedding. Michelle and Dallin are using him for their wedding too! Can't wait for June! We also, hit Cove Fort on the way back, and took the tour. The kids love learning about pioneers. It was a WONDERFUL trip, and the kids (ALL 4!) are awesome travelers! Stew couldn't come because he had already planned a trip (it was his spring break) to Whistler, Canada, to snowboard. He was bummed he couldn't come, but I'm sure he wasn't too sad when he hit the slopes!

Future Surfer?

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Stew and Liam, both, were in awe with the ocean. Stew tries to surf as much as possible and Liam, you could tell, felt the same peace from the ocean. It was a very fun moment to catch. I was cold with the ocean breeze, but these two were nice and warm, even with their bare feet. Like father like son, I guess! (This was on our trip to Ventura)

My Birthday Surprise

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Stew surprised me and took me away for my birthday weekend. We went to Ventura and stayed in a hotel that was right in the middle of town. We walked the shops and then walked to the beach. It was so peaceful and relaxing! The best present was in the mornings, Stew took Liam for a walk, so I could sleep in. (Very rare for me. ha ha) Since I'm still nursing, we had to bring Liam, of course. And my parents watched the girls. Our hotel was an old firehouse, converted into a hotel in the 50's. Our hotel was named for the tower, The Clocktower Inn. So of course we couldn't help but say, "Save the Clocktower" every time we passed it. We were walking distance to San Buenaventura, one of the California Missions. Here we are in front of a statue of Father Serra, a founder of the CA missions. We would love to move to Ventura, so that's why Stew took me there. It was an awesome birthday! Liam was very good, and Stew got to really spend time with him, and enjoy him. Since usually he comes home from work and he's cranky and ready for bed. We also drove (about 20 min.) to Santa Barbara and walked the pier. Thank you for a perfect weekend!

Malia's Party

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Here are some pictures of Malia's birthday party. We had a tea-princess party. The girls dressed up and brought their favorite doll. The girls had fun eating mini cakes and heart sandwiches, drinking from their tea cups. They were very cute. Malia was in heaven! They played princess-princess-frog (duck, duck, goose) with a wand, made princess crowns and bracelets, and luckily Aunt Trisha was there to dance with them while I played a little Pride and Prejudice on the piano. They were so cute dancing and feeling like real princesses! It was a fun and simple party.

Cupcakes or Frosting

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Stew was being SO helpful for Malia's party. I asked him to frost the cupcakes. I wasn't thinking to tell him the frosting was still in the fridge. I had some leftover batter on the counter next to the cooked cupcakes. He thought it was my home-made frosting I sometimes make. So he frosted the cupcakes with vanilla and strawberry cake batter. I laughed so hard! He had to scrape off the batter and re-frost them with REAL frosting. Hilarious! The kids ate about 3 cupcakes each (they were mini). They really loved them. Must have been the extra touch of cake mix. Ha ha! Thanks for ALWAYS helping me without a complaint!

Malia's 6th Birthday!

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Malia turned 6 at the end of March. Has it really been that many years?! She was born 14 days early and was our chubbiest yet. She was 8.14 lbs. She has definitely slowed down the growing, as she is still wearing 4/5 T clothes and shares them with her little sister! She is our dancing drama queen! She is always putting on a ballet and loves our attention. This outfit she put together herself. She's very good at layering and is all about the accessories. She always has a purse with her and is always putting on lotion or chapstick, which she likes to pretend it's lipstick! (She doesn't get that from me!) She is a very kind girl and is always making sure her sisters and brother are taken care of. BUT, she has the attitude of a teenager, already! We are in trouble! She has mastered the "rolling of the eyes." But with the attitude, comes a sensitive girl who tries to make everyone happy. I guess you take the good with the bad. Ha! We love our Malia!

Easter "Outfits"

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I can no longer say "dresses," because we now have added pants. :) Here are the Easter outfits on Sunday. No, I didn't make these, (the question asked a lot at church) but I bought them at Marshall's with the matching doll dresses. They were only $17! Great deal and they were so cute! Julia chose to dress her teddy bear, instead of a doll, but that was cute too. Liam had a matching shirt, which was Greyson's. And so Stew and I wore red also. Not your usual Easter color, but hey, who made the rules! Our darling cherubs!

Easter Sunday!

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Here are some pics from decorating the eggs, to finding them the next morning. My mom bought us 60 eggs (WOW!!) and the girls had a blast decorating them. Stew and I even got into the fun. Kirra, our little photographer, took a lot of these pictures too. That's how I got to be in so many. (Thank you Kirra!). Happy Easter!!

Born a BOY!

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A funny Liam story. I can't believe already, at 4 mo. old, how different things make Liam excited, than with the girls. Animals make him go crazy and cars. Very cute! But the best was the other day at Trisha's house. Liam does not like to lay on the floor (spoiled, I know) and at home he just cries until a sister picks him up. I was at Trisha's working on recital things with her, for our combined recital in May. Liam was cranky, and so I laid him on Aleigh's floor. (My first idea to put him...toys, pink kitchen, etc.) He was still crying. Trisha suggested putting him on Greyson's floor. DUH! He stopped crying immediately, and just looked around in awe. He laid in there for over a half hour without a cry. He just laid there kicking his legs and cooing. I guess he really does like "boy" toys, instead of the girl ones. He was so happy to be surrounded with trains, cars, and cowboy stuff. Here are some pics of him with Greyson's things. He's so DARLING!

Kindy 500

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Malia's kindergarten theme this year is race cars. They had a Kindy 500 race, and everyone had to make a car. Malia wanted a princess car, (surprise, surprise) but instead I convinced her to do an ice cream truck. (easier) She did everything herself, of course, except the hood. :) She was so proud.

St. Patrick's Day Dinner

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Growing up we had a tradition that my mom would make us dinner with green food coloring. It was pretty fun to see what she had made green. So, I continue this tradition with my family. This year I made pancakes, eggs, and even died the apple juice and milk. The girls loved it! It looked a little scary, but we ate it! I made pancakes and eggs, because it was a dance/piano day, and that's crazy enough. This was quick and easy. They thought they were eating greens eggs and ham.

Happy St. Paddy's Day

I (Stew) got this video from my sister, Tara. You have to be able to laugh at this. If not, then you are dead inside.

Artist Husband

Many of you know, that Stew is an art teacher and a true artist. He has an opinion over everything artistic. From decorating the house, to the paper on our blog. I was trying something new, with Trisha, and so I changed the paper. Well, Stew's sassy way of having an opinion over the blog is to change the name. Hence the name of the blog is "Kristine's Blog" and Stew's name is eliminated. So, to be stubborn, I will leave it. These are our arguments. I guess I should be glad it's just over blog paper. ha ha. So, for now, it's not the Van Buskirk Family, but MY rendition of MY family. :) Enjoy Stew!

And for those of you who can't hear the tone of my voice, this is all in fun, and there is no counseling needed. ha ha! That'll be next week, when I put up wall paper in our bedroom!

Background Paper

Okay, so I've seen all these cute blogs with cute paper. I found a friends site that directed me how to do it. SO SIMPLE! Here is the link that I used for directions.

www.sjhblogdesign.blogspot.com

I loved all the paper, but couldn't find one that said ME. Until I found these fun colorful circles at shabbyprincess.com. Now that's me! I love color! Check out my house and you can tell! :)

Enjoy. It's all free!

Hair Cuts!

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I recently cut the girls hair. Mostly, because Julia still had uneven hair from when I grew out her bangs, and Malia's was so long, it was getting hard to maintain out of the shower. (Since we're the ones brushing and drying it. She's still learning) They both love their "new" looks. I cut off over 12 inches on Malia and about 6 inches from Julia. Aren't they cute?! I also thought they would be good summer/wedding hair cuts for Michelle's wedding in June. Still playing! Having girls is fun. Liam's first haircut? We'll see.

Liam's First Disneyland Trip

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We went to Disneyland, as a family, in February, before our passes expired. It was Liam's first trip! And at 3 months too. Spoiled! To get Stew to go to Disneyland, is like going to the dentist. It's not his favorite place. Too many people and money! Agreed! But, the girls and I love to go! We went a lot when I was pregnant with Liam, and Julia was still free. So, we dragged Stew along for our last hurrah! It was VERY fun! Julia and Malia are tall enough to go on everything! (except Indiana Jones) Stew took turns with each daughter and went on EVERY roller coaster! All of us agree, the best ride is Space Mountain! Seeing little Malia and Julia on that was a little scary as a mom, but they were screaming the whole time! (a happy scream) I'm glad they all love fast rides. It makes it more fun for the adults! This hat on Liam, is actually from Kirra's doll, but we couldn't resist putting it on Liam, before he can protest. Poor guy! It was a GREAT day!

A Dad with Daughters

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You can't take a nap around here without your crown and umbrella. What a manly man to be confident enough to snuggle a pink blanket, wear a crown, and use a Hello Kitty umbrella. Stew had no idea that Malia had done this, until he woke up. It was very funny! He's actually taken this umbrella to work before. I guess we should get our umbrella from Stew's parents house. It's a little more versatile.

No ordinary cupboard!

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My sister, Tracey, had posted some fun pics of her son, Jonas, hiding in fun places. As to her request, I'm posting this fun "hideout" of my girls. Needless to say, the cupboard is now filled with DVD's, so they can no longer fit. Sorry girls!

I've been LOVE Tagged!

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I was "tagged" by Emily Nelson, and then the same day I saw this game on a couple other friends blogs. I thought it would be fun to join in. Thanks for the tag Emily. I tag Tracey and Missy!

1. WHAT IS YOUR HUSBAND'S NAME? Stewart Caine but everyone calls him Stew (like the food)
2. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN MARRIED? almost 10 years!
3. HOW LONG DID YOU DATE? We dated for 7 months and engaged for 3 months.
4. HOW OLD IS HE? Well, I always round up for my age but he doesn't like when I do that for him. So, he's only 32 and I'll be 31 in 7 weeks.
5. WHO EATS MORE SWEETS? Definitely me! (Is that something to be proud of?) The dentist's paycheck LOVES me!
6. WHO SAID 'I LOVE YOU' FIRST? Me. But that's another e-mail story! :)
7. WHO IS TALLER? Stew. He's 6'0 and I'm 5'8
8. WHO CAN SING BETTER? Funny question. According to his family, he can't sing. But he sings a great bass at church. But if the question was who sings MORE, than I take that one. He doesn't sing for an audience.
9. WHO IS SMARTER? We argue about that one. I think we are both comparable. We are both smart in different things. But he answers more questions to Jeopardy than I ever have!! Stew, you need to get on that, we could use some money! ha ha
10. WHO DOES THE LAUNDRY? ME! I'm so picky about that! But, as a good mom (even though my kids don't put it that way), I've broken down and taught them to fold. Even though secretly I refold somethings. I told you I was picky!
11. WHO PAYS THE BILLS? Me, for now. We are putting everything on auto pay, so then neither of us! :)
12. WHO SLEEPS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BED? Well, technically we both sleep in the middle. We are cuddlers. But he snuggles on the right side.
13. WHO MOWS THE LAWN? STEW! I'm not into yard work. How sad is that. He helps me ALL the time with the inside chores. He does the bathrooms and mops the floors WAY more than I ever do and has to do all the outside himself. Fair?
14. WHO COOKS DINNER? Me. But someday I hope to turn that job to one of my kids. I really don't enjoy cooking. I think it's the mess after that ruins the fun. But I do make the best tacos around!
15. WHO DRIVES? Usually Stew, but he drives in traffic during the week, so I like to drive to give him a break.
16. WHO IS MORE STUBBORN? That's a toss up. He's Scottish and I'm Irish. Our children have NO chance!
17. WHO ASKED OUT WHOM FIRST? He asked me out first and always. I don't think I ever asked him out. Yeah!
18. WHO PROPOSED? Stew. At my teller bank window in front of the other tellers and customers!
19. WHO HAS MORE SIBLINGS? Me. Stew's the youngest of 3 and I'm the middle of 5.
20. WHO WEARS THE PANTS? Ha ha! I'd say we're equal, but I have more opinions. We, luckily, have the same opinion about most things. That helps when making decisions.

Well, this has been fun going down memory lane. So, Tracey and Missy, TAG you're it!

Liam Crazy Arms and Legs

I (Stew) was changing Liam's diaper and getting him ready for bed. Prior to this he was crying non stop, and just ready to go to bed. After getting him undressed, he went crazy with his arms and legs. He loves being naked. This is a short video of it, after he had been doing it for a little bit, so he had been much more animated. It is hard to see it in the video, but his stomach was incredibly red, from his own hands beating on it. It was hilarious.

The New Generation!

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Great story! Julia loves playing on the computer. She's 3 1/2 and can do more than we give her credit. She got a Webkinz for Christmas, and she is good! I came in to check on her one day, and she was downloading from iTunes 56 songs. I scream, being 99 cents a song, and freak out! Then I realize she not only was downloading those songs, but had already downloaded $40 worth of songs. It was almost $100 in music!! AUGHHHH! Luckily, they had pity on us, and only made us keep 1 album of $9.99. We now have a 3 step process and a password to buy music. Also, she LOVES to print. She has used more ink printing her Polly Pocket pictures. So, we decided to turn off the printer, so she can't print. (Luckily she hasn't figured that out yet) Well, the other day, I see a file marked "Chelsea" on our desktop. Instantly I had worries of some bad picture I would see. So I clicked on it, to check and delete, when I realized it's a picture from Polly Pocket that Julia had made and saved it to the desktop! I can't believe she figured out how to do that!!! She's too good for a 3 year old! It must be a 3rd child syndrome (hint hint: that's Stew and me). At least that doesn't waste ink!

Living Room

102_5580, originally uploaded by caine975.

We recently redecorated our front living room. I knew I wanted the green walls, but I couldn't quite get it all together. So, with the help of Trisha and Lisa, we moved everything around. The piano used to be where the table is, and vice versa. I love the idea that you walk in and see my gorgeous piano! The piano, we bought from some friends who moved to Hawaii and didn't want to take it with them. This man's grandma was the original owner. It was made in the 1940's. I have always loved the vintage style and 30's and 40's is my favorite. Luckily, Stew and I have the same taste. I had a lady from Chino give me all this old piano music, so we picked our favorites and framed them. The rectangle pictures behind the couch, were from Stew's grandma's. They are from the world's fair in NY, that they went to, in the 50's. My dad had given me an original print (from an antique store) of one of my favorite shows, "A Song is Born," with Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo. So, it all came together with some really cool old things. The couches still need to go and be updated, but that's another paycheck. :) We actually spent $0 on this room. Besides the paint when we moved in, we had all these things in our garage and Trisha and Lisa put it in just the right places to look fabulous!! Stew did all the pottery work too. Anyways. I Love our new room! I always wanted a music room, and I think this looks GREAT! All I want to do now, is hang Stew's and my guitar on the wall, side by side. I think that will top it all off. Enjoy!

Liam's 2 Months Old!

102_5646, originally uploaded by caine975.

Liam is 2 months old! (Jan. 18) Already! He is such a GREAT baby. He's so mellow and calm. We were just told he has RSV (a respiratory virus and very scary for babies) and his ear drum burst a few days ago, and through all that, he's still so HAPPY! The girls love to hold him and play with him! This boy is definitely not short on LOVE! He's already 13 1/2 lbs. CHUBBY!! We love our little boy!

Liam's Blessing Day!

102_5527, originally uploaded by caine975.

Liam was blessed on Sunday. The girls wore their dresses from my sisters wedding and Liam was in cream also. Lynn (my mother-in-law) found her Grandfather's blessing outfit and we were so honored she let us bless Liam in it! It's Liam's Great Great Grandfather's. It's from 1864! Yes, it was a dress (true to the times), and Stew was not happy! I begged for WEEKS! Finally, 6 pm Saturday night, he approved! Lynn brought it over immediately, before Stew changed his mind! It was a very spiritual day! Liam was wonderful during the whole thing. I even had to stop nursing him early to make it in on time. He never cried once! But he was less squirmy when I put him in his pants and flannel!

New Year's Pictures

102_5524, originally uploaded by caine975.

Here is the pictures to go with the video. It's our "toast" to the New Year! I hope it's a good one! We had such a FULL 2007, I don't know if 2008 can match it! A move, a baptism, a birth, and a wedding, and a sad farewell to my Grandma. This all happened between September through December. Can't get bigger than that! I hope 2008 is a little slower. ha ha!

Christmas Morning

102_5481.JPG, originally uploaded by caine975.

Here are the kiddos (can't say 'girls' anymore) on Christmas morning. Stew beat me to the punch getting pics on here, so the holidays are a little out of order. The girls had a great time, and Liam, I'm sure, did too.:) We had a nice, quiet morning, then visited my Grandma at the hospital (who flew in for Lisa's wedding, and had to be in the hospital for 2 weeks from kidney failure. She's home now in Washington and doing better), and then had Christmas dinner with Stew's family. We had dinner with my family on Christmas Eve. It's fun to be able to see both sides of the family for the holidays. The girls loved it and had a wonderful Christmas!

Stew's Artwork

Ok, this is Stew posting. I have created a new blog for my artwork. It has become so hard for me to actually paint or make any type of art that I am trying to force my hand. My goal is to post a new piece of art or any work in progress at least once a week. I am hoping this will force me to be working more and not just plop down on the couch after the kids go to bed. It has long been my goal to paint after they have gone to bed, but it is much, much easier said than done. While I love teaching art, I also want to continue working as an artist and actually make some money at it. I have posted a few pieces, so check it out. The site is iamcaine.blogspot.com. If you didn't know, "Caine" is my middle name and is the name that I sign my artwork under.

Happy New Years 2008!

Julita Performs on the Stage!

Here is Julia performing on her "stage" aka in front of the fireplace. She is a very funny girl. This is what we get to do while the girls are at school and Stew is at work.

Lisa's Married!

The Newlyweds!, originally uploaded by caine975.

Lisa got married on Dec. 18 to Brent Brown. They are a wonderful couple! We couldn't have picked a better match for her! We LOVE him! It was a great day! I didn't have my camera, but Tracey, the prepared one, did. These pictures are thanks to her. It was so much fun! Liam was only 4 weeks old. and was a trooper. The kids had a blast being together. We really partied the day away! Congratulations to the BROWNS!

Kirra Diane

Kirra and Nicki, originally uploaded by caine975.

Here is an update on Kirra! She's 8 now and growing fast. She's so beautiful, inside and out. She is so naturally kind and patient. Of course she has her MOMENTS, but she is so good to me. My HUGE helper! Especially with her siblings! When I can't handle them, I ask her to help me, and she does! Thank you Kirra!!

Malia Lynn

Always dressing up, originally uploaded by caine975.

Malia is almost 6. (In March) She is just beautiful! She loves dressing up and is always dancing everywhere and loves to perform. Only at her call, though. She loves accessories! The other day I needed lotion, and Malia, who always has a purse, had some for me to borrow. She's always prepared with her purse. ie: lotion, jewelry, money, sunglasses, pencil, and paper, are a few of the items she ALWAYS keeps in her purse. She is so much fun! She's a great big sister!

Julia Elizabeth

Dance Class, originally uploaded by caine975.

Here are a few pictures of Julia to, hopefully, capture her little personality. She is always making us laugh. Her famous line is, "Mommy, take my picture," and then do some crazy pose. After I drop off Kirra and Malia at school, she and I have so much fun together playing games and watching videos. I've really been able to enjoy her more, now that we get one on one time.

Liam Caine!

Liam Caine 4 days old, originally uploaded by caine975.

Liam is finally here! He was born Nov. 18 at 12:55 am. He came 3 weeks early and was still 8 lbs. and 20 in. Thank goodness he came early. The Dr. said he'd have been over 10 lbs. Yuck!! He is healthy and very strong. As the nurse was sucking fluid from his lungs, he was pushing against her. She said, "I thought you were 3 weeks early? How can you be so strong!?" His sisters are crazy for him! He gets plenty of love and kisses, and is always being held! We had a scare when he was coming. When they broke my water, it made my uterus contract like crazy, which was causing strain on him. So, they were worried and they never left my side. They were awesome! From the time they broke my water and his delivery, it was 20 min. When he was born, they found the cord wrapped around his neck TWICE! Luckily it wasn't tight. If I had him any later, it would have been very dangerous for him. So, that is why I was crying when I was holding him. I was so relieved and thankful he was here SAFE! Another neat experience was with Kirra. Kirra really wanted to be there for the birth. For the delivery, she had to wait outside. But after he was born, she got to come back in and she was just in awe seeing him. I look over at her, and she's very quiet and I can tell she's trying not to cry. She said, "I didn't know it would feel like this." We were all crying! Such a sweet spirited child! We are all doing great and recovering nicely! YEAH!! He's here!

2 days before delivery

2 days before delivery, originally uploaded by caine975.

I was very fortunate to have 2 showers. Little Liam is well dressed and in BLUE!! Here are some pics of me at the showers, and getting ready for the baby to come! I took castor oil at my family shower, and 6 hours later, I was at the hospital! It really works for me! I was dialated to 3 and 100% e-faced, so why not?!

Kirra's Baptism

My Baptism Dress, originally uploaded by caine975.

Kirra was baptized on Nov. 3. It was such a wonderful day! She was beautiful and so proud. I got to help with most of the program. There are so many children being baptized in our area, that they combine the baptisms. And I was blessed to be involved in the planning. And Kirra got to pick the speakers and the music. Kirra and the other 2 girls being baptized that day, sang "When I Am Baptized." It was so sweet and beautiful! We couldn't be more proud as her parents.

My Belly!

100_4933.JPG, originally uploaded by caine975.

Here are a few pictures of my pregnancy. I have about 6 more weeks to go. Everything is good and healthy, and the same as with the girls. The big jump from 8 weeks to 6 months, was during our moving time. So, hence the lack of pictures. Not bad from the front, until I turn to the side.

School Harvest Festival

100_4912.JPG, originally uploaded by caine975.

The school had a harvest festival for Halloween. The girls were darling. Kirra wore my Snow White dress from when I was 8 and Malia wore her Aunt Lisa's Minnie costume from when Lisa was 5. Julia was Tinker Bell, but was too busy to pose for a photo. Maybe on Halloween.

Big Smiles!

Big Smiles!, originally uploaded by caine975.

Malia lost her first tooth! Out of the blue, she said, "my tooth's loose." A few days later, it was out. It was so fast, the pillow almost wasn't made in time. But the tooth fairy and pillow made it!! She picked her material, which of course it pink and ballerina fairies. Julia wanted to be apart of it. So, I made her a little pillow for her teddy bear.

First Day of School

100_4681.JPG, originally uploaded by caine975.

I was able to stay with Malia on the first day. (Hence the many pictures) Malia was so excited and Kirra couldn't wait to see her friends from kindergarten. Julia was upset she couldn't stay. She's adjusting better now. Kirra is now in 3rd grade and it's much more challenging than the previous years. She loves it! The other 2 kids are my neice and nephew (Trisha's kids). Greyson is actually 3 months YOUNGER than Kirra and in 2nd grade. Crazy.

New Flooring

100_4650.JPG, originally uploaded by caine975.

We are settling back into our Fontana house and making progress. I'm hoping (from the inspiration of my sister Tracey) to keep this up. So, here are some pictures we took of the new floors. We are still finishing painting, more pics to come. Yes, we chose those colors. Love it!