The case of the missing debit card...

So, I was at Target today frantically trying to find something for my kids to wear for our family picture, (they informed me that they do not own one pair of pants from the previous school year that does not have a hole in it--sadly, I know this is true.) and after a hellish time,(hellish=4 kids, one poo-poo incident, several toes run over, cart abuse and 4 too many opinions)decisions were made and it was time to check out. I reached for my debit card and it was GONE!

After, searching the car, the garbage, pockets, emptying out the purse, and calling every place I've been in the last few hours, I gave up and cancelled my card. As I was wondering what happened to my card, I came across these little gems on my computer:

At least, I'll always have these pictures to remember my card by...

Hawaii

Crappy Pictures. Fabulous Kids.

Kate and Jackson are now yellow belts in Tae Kwan Do! I can't spell it but you don't want to meet either kid in a dark alley way. They could take you. Seriously. Their teacher (master, coach???) testing them in front of their classmates. Super scary.
And today, Kate was honored at an Awards ceremony at her elementary school. She received two awards and a medal for straight A's. One of awards was the Role Model Award. Her teacher said that the any place Kate was would be better because she was there. It choked me up. Not because I was proud but rather, I can't think of anything more that I want for any of my children... to make their environment better simply because of who they are and what they are.

Thank you Kate, for your example to all and mostly to your old Mom. I love you and I am so, so proud of you.

Happy Birthday to Me. Seriously, can we forget about it?

The girls made me a cake. Jackson helped as only boys can.

The girls made me a sweet card.

Bedazzling the cake because a plain cake just would not do for celebration such as this.

The cake was fabulous. Extra delicious. The kids insisted on celebrating correctly. I was selfishly trying to convince them to forgo the candle tradition until Ella sweetly said, while patting my back, "I know you are worried about how many candles Mom, because it makes you feel old. We'll just do one." She's already quite the negotiator. Then, because I feel that there should be some evidence that I exist on my birthday, I played with photo booth, while waiting for Robert to finish combing his hair. The following are the results:
I liked this picture because it made me look chesty. I think you should look chesty when you are as old as I am. It should be a law.

But maybe not so chesty when going for your Temple Recommend interview? We were late for dinner because the Bishop invited me to go to the Temple so many times. He must of thought I needed it. Note to self: Skip VS half-yearly sale next year. Extra minutes spent in Bishop's office instead of dessert bar at buffet NOT WORTH IT.

Max

I was just singing Max a silly song and he pointed at me, smiled his sweet smile and said, "My Mama cute."

Awwww. Way to make my day!

Adventures in Potty Training

I let Max pee in the bushes in the Costco parking lot today. There were 20 other cars waiting for the store to open/watching. This used to embarrass me. Now, I figure it isn't a problem as long as I don't squat down and join him. At least, he didn't take a dump in the neighbors' garage and bushes (separate occasions) like Jackson.

Are you sick of hearing about my trip to Hawaii yet?

Listen, I know you think I'm spoiled or maybe lucky because I just spent three weeks in Hawaii. But this is the real story behind the glamorous photos (read with dramatic voice):

1) The kids snorkeled for the first time.

2) I got in a car accident. In a rental car. The other car was driven by a teenager. She had a foul mouth. And a mother. Hawaii is a no fault state. It may or may not have been my fault. We are still alive.

3) My kids are tough. Really tough. They climbed down the side of a mountain holding onto a rope. I prayed.

4) Robert missed the Fourth of July. He spent it in Washington, DC at the White House. He missed 4 days of our vacation. 5 if you count the day after he got back and was so jet lagged he couldn't remember my name.

5) Lilikoi aka Passion fruit. My favorite fruit ever and it is obeying the commandment to multiply and replenish. I put it in everything...pancakes, smoothies, biscuits, muffins, toothpaste...just kidding.

6) Surfer-dudes that live on your property like to eat. ALOT. All the time. They may also think that you are their cook and they are invited to dinner and lunch every night. They don't do dishes.

7) Fresh fish, garden grown tomatoes, purple sweet potato, coconuts, pineapple,papaya, garlic-chives.

8) 5lbs. Seriously. Every TIME?!

9) Hana Branch. Way better than regular church. The pianist jazzes up the hymns. Sketchy doctrine is occasionally preached. Lessons about which tribe is better: Ephraim or Manasseh. (Manasseh, was in the lead.)

10) I saw my very first shooting star. I've been wanting to see one since I was a little girl. So this pretty much rocked.

11) Bosses that don't care if you are on vacation and don't understand the 3 hour time difference.

12) My kids like to cliff jump?! This amuses and terrifies me at the same time.

13) The beach, the pool and just hanging with the kiddies while reading depressing books and listening to them argue over goggles. Hint: Never go on vacation without enough goggles for every child.

14) Max took a vacation from potty training.

15) So much beauty everywhere--it feels surreal.

16) The most amazing, vivid rainbow I have ever seen. I was to awestruck to even take a picture. I think my clever sister-in-law had her wits about her and took one though. Can I have a copy Sarah?

17) Good company.

18) Max decided that it is more fun to yell at the top of his lungs to get my attention then to just say, "mamma." He decided to try this new thing out on our 6 hour plane ride home. I am deaf in one ear and hated by all the passengers on our flight. Let's just say that no one stopped us to tell us what well behaved children we have. I knew I was in for it when he said two hour into our flight, " All done plane, Mamma. ALL DONE!"

19) Realizing I have the best family. Ever.

20) Realizing that the humidity makes me break out. I love feeling fat and pimply while living in a swimsuit with lots of tanned, toned, gorgeous people.

21)Mosquitos. Evil. If I could do one thing for our world (forget world peace) I'd eradicate all mosquitos and cockroaches. Maybe even spiders, too. It depends on how many wishes I get.

Is it bad to post this without pictures? I am too tired tonight to hunt down the camera and load all the pictures onto the computer, etc. I'll do it when I've finished unpacking so...maybe never.