Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Summer 2012 Recap

So, it's been quite a while since my last post.  There have been lots of changes in my life that prompted me to stop writing for a few months, but for the past few weeks I've been feeling a need to get back to blogging -- if only to document the wonderful things that happen in my life so that I can look back and smile at them when I need a quick "pick me up."  So, here I am again...

Since my last blog post was way back in April, I thought a Summer 2012 recap would be an appropriate place to start back up.  I guess the easiest way to recap will be through pictures and captions (after all...pictures ARE worth a thousand words, right?):


Summer started off on an exciting note.  After picking Ilaiasi up on the last day of school, we went straight to my ultrasound appointment and found out that we are expecting another GIRL in October!


The last day of school was also Ilaiasi's 8th birthday, so, of course, a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's was in order.


And we can't forget the cake and ice cream.  Ilaiasi cut his own cake this year...which was...well...interesting.  ;)
 
We took a trip to the Children's Museum of Houston.


Ilaiasi had fun building and launching paper rockets.
Ilaiasi was baptised on the first Saturday in July.

Lots of cousins from Utah made it down for his big event!

Pod came down from Dallas.
Sunny, Steven, and Westlee also came down for the weekend...it was so fun to have everyone here!

Cousins!



Mid-July 2012 will forever be known as "Barf and Poo Fest 2012."  Ovaka and the girlies spent the better part of a week and a half in the tub, while their lucky mother spent this time cleaning lots and lots and LOTS of barf and poo.

Poor little sickie.

Ilaiasi is the World's Best Helper.  Seriously.  This kid is amazing.  He was so helpful and kind to his sick siblings.

Another sad, sick baby picture.

Barf and Poo Fest 2012...not the best week of my life.
During the last week of July and first week of August, the kids and I went to Salt Lake City to visit Finau's family.
Ilaiasi got a nice little war wound at the beginning of our trip that has finally healed after over a month of bleeding, tenderness, and swelling.  Ouch!

This is Ovaka with his best buddy/mortal enemy Olivia.  He had a blast with all of his cousins, but he and Olivia were super funny together because their personalities are so similar.

Elva Kalea got plenty of love from Finau's sister Elva and all of Elva's kids!

The Billy Goat at lunch time...need I say more?

The girlies were spoiled by all of their cousins.  This is Kamila with Finau's sister Tina's daughter, Za'rya.

This cutie pie with The Goat is named after Finau, and his dad is Finau's brother, Vili.

Another of Vili's kids -- Tivinia -- who spoiled my girlies rotten!  She and her sister had the "magic touch" and were good at getting my girls to go to sleep!

Ovaka, the girlies, and my best friend Angela's daughter, Marla.  It was so good to see them while we were in town!

This is what it looks like when naughty little goats won't be quiet during church.  Ear flicking is a swift and just punishment for noisy irreverent monsters!  :)

By the end of our Salt Lake trip, my four monkeys were exhausted.  They had SO much fun with their cousins!
 
The girlies are FINALLY eating baby food without problems.  Milk, on the other hand, still gives them SERIOUS constipation.  Yeah...probably too much info there.  Sorry.

When we got home from Utah, the kids were happy to be reunited with Daddy.  Finau was happy, too...can't you tell?!  Hahaha...his face in this picture is awesome.  It looks exactly like how I FEEL inside multiple times a day EVERY day!  ;)

Apparently outdoor photo op's in Houston in the summer make my babies grumpy.  Can't imagine why...it was only like 102 degrees that day with 90% humidity...

Me and my girlies

Nothing special happened on this day...this is just one of my favorite pictures of the girls.  I love how they always find ways to hold hands while they sleep.

We had pictures taken of the runts right before Ilaiasi started back to school.  Man, I love these kids!!

And, finally...the week school started back up, these little monkeys turned ONE!  This year has flown by...I can't believe my girlies are a year old already!


So, there you have it, folks.  Our summer in a nutshell.  Lots of good times with friends and family...who could ask for more??!