the happy her trails

July 23, 2008

July is almost over and I told myself that I would try to post at least once a month on our blog. So here goes. What are we up to? Living our lives. Xee goes to work and then enjoys our family days at the beach or hanging out at home. He especially loves taking Phoebe for rides on the boogey board. Phoebe and I have been doing our usual...playing at home, going for walks, trips to the grocery store, chores around the house, bathtime, reading books, etc...exciting. Well, there is a lot of encouraging and teaching and disciplining that gets woven into all of these daily activities. As it turns out, it can be quite exhausting!

So if you ever ask me what I do, you might get the following response. I am a teacher, a driver, a short-order cook and occasional chef, a housekeeper, a motivational speaker, a linguist, an interpreter, a nurse, a dancer, an actress, an improv specialist, a storyteller, a correctional officer, and a referee. I am in the business of hugging, kissing, hurrying, scurrying, scooting, shewing, oohing and aahing. The more daunting tasks include threatening, disciplining, and yes, hazardous waste removal. I am a MOM!

I once met a lady at the airport who said it best when quoting her own daughter's words, "having a toddler is like starting up a blender...without the lid"! That cracks me up. Though it is not complete chaos in our home all of the time, the possibility AND probability of an explosion of some sort sits just below the surface of any given moment. And we wouldn't trade it for anything! Because along with it comes a ton of fun and the sheer joy of getting to experience every little step in our child's development. Is there anything cooler than that? Not to say that I don't need a break once in a while! Serenity now!! And thanks to my wonderful husband (of eight years now...yahoo) I do get the chance for some much needed time for myself. On his days off, I sleep in just a little bit longer while he and Phoebe go to the lagoons for a morning swim. It is strangely sweet to start my day in such a peaceful way. And how does the day end? It varies, with Xee and I usually ending up on the couch to relax in front of the T.V. and then reluctantly heading off to bed. But one thing remains the same. We are content. We are loved. We are blessed! God is so good!

June 27, 2008

Life's a Beach!

So Xee took five days in a row off for a little R & R, and wow! It was like we were on vacation...in Hawaii. Only, there was no jet lag and no touristy agenda, we had a stocked fridge, didn't need a rental car, and we slept in our own beds! Daddy really needed this break from work. We all needed the time as a family. We spent time splashing around in the lagoons near our home and just enjoyed the spectacular view. What a blessing it is to be surrounded by such beauty every day. The down side? It's summer in Hawaii and the "squitos", as Phoebe would call them, are quite prevalent this time of year. Break out the calamine and cortizone creams. It's gonna be one ITCHY summer!

Now that Xee is back to his normal schedule, I am mourning the loss of my second pair of hands during the day...when he wasn't napping, that is. And it was nice to connect as a couple too. Time alone with your spouse. What? Such a novelty! Okay, those of you without kids who are nodding your heads in agreement, you haven't a clue! Anyway, speaking of kids, Phoebe is just cracking us up. She is having lots of fun and she continues to develop into such a little person. It is so much fun to watch. She is silly and sassy and full of energy! We do our best to keep up. So what are you up to this summer? Hopefully you're having some fun while you beat the summer heat!!

June 6, 2008

Wow...these last couple of months have been very busy! In April, Xee had some training to do for work, so we took the opportunity to turn it into a little vacation in Orange County. Thanks again to Beth and Rick for your wonderful hospitality. It was so nice to see some of our friends and family again and enjoy the beautiful weather...we got to wear sweaters in the evenings! And the highlight of our visit was our first family trip to Disneyland and California Adventure!! Fun, fun fun!

In May, Xee's best friend, Glenn and his wife, Bern stayed with us for a few days. It felt like "home" having them around and we can't wait to see more of you mainladers soon. May was also a time for celebrating a big milestone...Phoebe turning two!!! Everyone always says, "it goes by so fast" and now we are living that cliche'. IT GOES BY SO FAST! We are enjoying every moment with our daughter...even the occasional, if not daily, meltdown or tantrum. This only reminds us of our own human nature and how important it is that we obey God's command to love one another. Oh, how we love our Phoebe! She brings so much joy to our lives every day. Her adorable smile and silly antics (like saying "hi" to and kissing a green bean before popping it in her mouth), her lively spirit and outgoing personality, her joy, her confidence, her innocence. It is just a pleasure to watch her grow and grow.

And now it's June and Father's day is just around the corner. So to all of the wonderful dads we know, may you be richly blessed this weekend as you are celebrate with family. And to Xee, who is the daddy I've always dreamed of for my children, thank you for giving all that you have, every single day!

Pictures? We've got em...check out these recent pics from Phoebe's birthday bash. And to see just how much she's changed in the last year, play the You Tube insert for Xee's annual slide show wrap up. It's a bit longer than last year's, but hey, we've had twice as much fun!

If you have problems viewing it in our blog, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8WIiJtWMAg

Phoebe welcomes her guests...

Let's have some fun!

Time to open some presents!

Oink oink...!

Phoebe enjoys a piggy cupcake.

Our friend, Angie made this beautiful cake...fabulous!

Happy birthday dear Phoebe!

April 2, 2008

Love is in the Air!

Love is in the air! February started off with Phoebe making her first homemade Valentine... with a little help from Mama. It was delivered with lots of hugs and kisses for the man of OUR dreams! Our dear friends, Frank and Vanessa stopped by for a few days of fun in the sun. We also shared a wonderful Easter celebration with neighbors last month. And now we're sending a little lovin' your way too! By the way, Pigtails are SO in this year...don't ya think?