Maris Family

Photography Update.

2012-01-23T17:07:00.000-10:00

First photoblog post of the year 2012. Go check out this awesome couple!
This is going to be a fabulous year!

Recipe: Bavarian Pear Tart

2012-01-20T17:22:00.001-10:00

I made this today with some girl friends for a cooking group. My second time making it, but turns out perfect every time. I've adapted the recipe from Beans and Caviar (for an apple tart, go here: allrecipes - pretty much the same recipe except one uses apples instead of pears) I prefer pears because of the soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture it gives, as opposed to soft-crunchy apple texture.

Crust:
1 stick butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour

Filling:
1 (8oz) package softened cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, room temp
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice (or even better, zest of one lemon)

Topping:
2 Bartlett pears, peeled and thinly sliced - I would go for ripe, slightly soft pears instead of under ripe.
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Line bottom of 9 inch springform cake pan with parchment paper (*I would recommend either lining the sides or spraying with cooking spray, because my edges stuck to the pan). Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. For the crust, blend butter, sugar and vanilla. Add in the flour and mix. Dough may be crumbly. Press onto bottom of pan and up the sides 1 inch.

3. For the filling, beat together cream cheese, sugar, lemon and vanilla. Add egg and mix until well blended. Spread evenly over crust.

4. For the topping, mix together sugar and cinnamon. Toss sliced pears in cinnamon sugar and place on top of the cream cheese mixture.

5. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then lower to 375 and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Chill before serving. And enjoy the deliciousness!

those eyes.

2012-01-11T09:30:00.003-10:00

...melt my heart everyday.

Go Pro.

2012-01-10T07:42:00.000-10:00

Chad and I have been playing and experimenting with his Christmas present, the GoPro HERO2 camera.

It is completely wonderful. other than being 100% waterproof and shock proof, the image/video quality is fantastic. I was completely amazed when we first used it at the beach in the sunny, bright conditions. sky, beach, and water colors were so vibrant! Here are a few images taken by this fabulous new camera.

{fiy: these were not touched up/processed in any way.}

and our latest GoPro project: a time lapse movie of the beautiful Laie sunset. Enjoy.

.＊SNOW DAY＊.

2011-12-31T06:10:00.000-10:00

It finally snowed! I cannot express to you how excited I was to be able to bring Noa out and have him enjoy the snow....doing winter things I enjoyed as a child.

By the end of the day, Noa was exhausted.

{A special thanks to my amazing sister, Yoko, for taking these photos}

Such a fun snow day for our family.

Our Christmas in photos.

2011-12-30T14:38:00.000-10:00

Have yourself a merry little Christmas.

2011-12-25T17:07:00.000-10:00

From our family to yours.

Thankful.

2011-11-25T08:59:00.001-10:00

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I know we did.

It started out for Chad with an early-morning surf session, then some Turkey bowl....for three+ hours....then we all had fried turkey dinner with some fabulous friends. We finished off our day black "friday" shopping at Wal-mart, and getting ourselves some early Christmas presents. AND we got home before midnight! ~ I think we can call that a great day!

I have so much to be thankful for this year. so much. My loving, supportive and ever-so-patient husband. My two very active but very sweet boys, and to be called their mommy. I am thankful for family all over the world that love us and support us even though we are so far away, and for friends, some that have become like family to us. I'm so thankful that we live in Hawaii- warm, sunny Hawaii...I am truly thankful for the gospel and the great blessing it is in our lives. All the little things that make me smile....I am thankful for it all!

Have a great holiday season, everybody!

the beach + a shark + a babe

2011-11-22T11:59:00.001-10:00

= the cutest photos ever!

Kai Kai's 6 month photos are up on the photoblog. to see more adorableness, click here.

An Update on my SIX month old!

2011-11-13T22:46:00.001-10:00

It's been 6 months already?! seriously, where did all the time go.

I feel like I just had a newborn, like yesterday...

but now, weighing in at 14lbs 11oz, Kaiyu is doing all sorts of non-newborn-like stuff.

Let's take a look, shall we?

He spends a good part of his day on the floor.

exploring,

reaching,

scooting,

and crawling.

here's a little out-take.

I like when he tips over. it's my favorite.

He can also sit by himself for a good while, with no support.

He has started to eat solids.

his first taste of real, human food...

Okinawan sweet potato.

Hence, the purple mess.

Kai Kai also loves applesauce (he can eat a whole container in one sitting) and rice porridge.

He loves playing with his big brother.

copying his screams, kicking with excitement, and laughing...lots and lots of laughing....

I just love watching these two.

He has brought such joy and love into our home, and has melted our hearts completely.

We love you little Kai Kai.

Happy 6 month birthday.

xoxo

rolling...

2011-11-08T10:34:00.002-10:00

this was just a little experiment....

*Click on the image*

something a little different.

PS did you know Kai can already crawl now....he totally does the army crawl!

video and pics to come.

Halloween

2011-10-31T13:46:00.001-10:00

Happy Halloween!!

This year the kids were a couple of game characters... ^0^ ...I know, so Asian, right?

Well, I am pretty proud of my heritage, and I embrace it 110%.....

which is apparently a bit less than my other half.

{here he is, controlling our kids}

The costumes were composed of hand-made hats, thrifted clothes, and other bits and pieces lying around our house.

I will post how I made the hats later. But first, aren't they just the cutest?!

We went to our ward's "trunk-or-treat"/Halloween party on Friday.

{end of the night, with faded mustaches and all}

Noa enjoyed every sugary second of it.

*****************************PS*****************************

our not so "jack-o-lantern" >>>> not a pumpkin, and not a lantern <<<<

with the recall on pumpkins, we had to improvise.
This is what we came up with.

Have a spookilicious Halloween everyone!

xoxo

A free photo shoot giveaway!

2011-10-09T22:26:00.000-10:00

You are not gonna want to miss this!

Hop on over to my photography blog for all the details!

Happy feet.

2011-09-21T11:08:00.000-10:00

Our baby Kai Kai turned 4 months last week.

Kai has grown so much in the last month.

Not only has he mastered the art of rolling over...

but he is has started to wiggle and scooch little by little.

He reacts to facial expressions.

He loves peekaboo. especially when big bro Noa does it.

He has become quite the screech{scream}er.

Otherwise, he is the happiest, smiliest little peanut.

After discovering his hands, he has now found his feet.

It's just so adorable to watch him grab his feet and roll around.

We all love him sooo so very much.

Cheesecake stuffed chocolate cookies. {YUM!}

2011-09-13T10:03:00.003-10:00

It's been a while since I've posted a recipe. What better recipe to share with you than this rich, chocolatey, cheesecakey goodness. so here it is...

Strawberry Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Cookies.

{adapted from Buns in My Oven}

I doubled the original recipe, used strawberry jam instead of raspberry,

and altered the the techniques a bit.

For the cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
extra sugar for rolling

For the filling:

8 ounces PHILADELPHIA brand Cream Cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
6 teaspoons strawberry jam {any jam will work}

1. To make the cookies, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until well combined.

3. Chill the dough for at least 15 minutes to make it easier to work with. *Do not chill too long, or the dough will be too hard to work with.

4. For the filling, beat together all ingredients until well combined. **I found that it helps to chill the filling as well, until slightly firm.

5. To assemble cookies, take a golf ball sized chunk of dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten the dough into a disc between your hands. Place a teaspoonful of the filling into the center of the chocolate disc. Close the disc around the filing and roll into a ball. ***I made two smaller discs and sandwiched the filling and closed the edges gently, then I rolled it into a ball.

6. Roll the ball of dough in sugar. ****I "double dipped" and rolled it in sugar twice.

6. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies 1 inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies seem set. Chill on the counter for 15 minutes and then chill in the fridge for another 30 minutes.

7. Enjoy the deliciousness.

Some fun things.

2011-09-01T00:02:00.000-10:00

It's time for some fun/funny videos.

first, for some Kai-love.

did he just......? yep, he did

isn't he..........??? just 3 1/2 months old? yes. exactly.

Now, you might want to plug your ears for this one. (or just turn your volume down) ;)

he is going to be a rock STAR! haha

Noa's birthday bash.

2011-08-23T08:20:00.000-10:00

Again, sorry for the delayed posts. I'm trying to get better at this posting-on-time thing....
bear with me.

This was my sweet little Noa's 2-year birthday party.
I am so grateful for all of our family and friends that came and celebrated this special day with us. You guys made this day that much more special! but mostly, I am grateful for this energetic, fun and extremely sweet little boy in my life.

Happy Birthday toddler Noa!
Can't wait to see what this next year brings you.

Love you lots and LOTS.

xoxo,
mommy, daddy, and Kai Kai

Not for the faint of heart.

2011-08-22T14:21:00.000-10:00

Yesterday was probably one of the happiest AND saddest day of my little Noa's life.

Happy: he turned another year older and is now 2!!

Happy: we had an amazing birthday party with close family and friends.

Happy: he got lots and lots of gifts from everybody!

Happy: he got to eat all the sweets his little heart desired (a rare occasion)

Happy: he got to video chad (via google+) with his jiji and baba, his cousin, and some of his aunts and uncles scattered all over the world...

....so why the sadness....?

Sad: he went from baby to boy. he is growing up waay too fast.

Sad: he probably won't remember the party that I put so much time and effort into....lol (it was well worth it!)

SAD: we said goodbye to his beautiful, soft, shiny, luscious....

baby curls.

apologies to those of you who voted "no" to cutting his hair.....
just fyi, we have been debating this issue for over a year, so it was in no ways an easy decision....I fought it all the way down to the last second.

because I knew that it would never grow back like this....

Chad gave me an ultimatum. It's either we cut it now, or we wait til his 3rd birthday to cut it. I knew that this (the length it is here) was the absolute longest that I wanted him to have...and couldn't imagine letting it get any longer and harder to manage. I made one of the hardest decisions of my mommy-life to part with his lovely locks.

It might not look like it in these photos, but I was crying...my heart was breaking every second.

and then

finally.

No turning back now...

So I cut.

and I cut.

and I CUT.

until.....

...there was no baby anymore...

just a little boy, ready to take on the world....

Noa's long curly hair had become such a big part of him...and his character...I am still trying to get used to this look (don't get me wrong, I like it. it is still cute. just a different kind of cute.)

Loves...

No matter how long or short your hair is, Mommy will still love you just the same. And you will always be my Noa.

A "little late" Birthday Tribute.

2011-08-17T18:00:00.001-10:00

I finally got a minute to do a little mini photo shoot with Kai for his 3-month.

I wanted to share a few of the photos, along with some of his latest developments:

At 3 months, baby Kai Kai:

*can lift and hold his head up really well.

*can do mini-push-ups while on his tummy.

*smiles and even giggles sometimes.

*is able to sit up with assistance.

*can bear a little weight on his legs.

*loves being held. hates being left alone.

*has found his thumb.

*can blow bubbles.

*is so ticklish!

Now on to the good stuff. enjoy his sweet little face.

Love LoVe LOVE this little angel!

for more photos from his photo shoot, go to my photog or click here.

An "Almost" Birthday Tribute.

2011-08-17T12:02:00.000-10:00

My big boy Noa is turning 2 this week!!! Whoa, I know.

Since I have a crazy weekend coming up, I thought I would write a little pre-birthday birthday post before things get too hectic and I forget to recognize such a huge milestone in my baby's life. {Don't worry, there will be a birthday party post later :D...probably much much later}

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SO much has happened in the past year in this little guy's life. He has accomplished A LOT.

So much growing, so much learning, and SO much loving.

{From 1 to 2...}

From baby to toddler.

From barely speed-walking, to RUNNING full speed. (and skipping, of course.)

From being able to say just a few words, to speaking in full sentences, and learning new words and phrases every second. {in two languages, might I add...} Having real CONVERSATIONS with us.

From eating soft, mushy baby food, to eating pretty much everything that we eat and put on his plate.

From having short fuzzy baby hair, to long shiny curly locks. (which we still are debating whether or not to chop off)

From having a few teeth on top, a few on bottom, to having full grown baby teeth (minus the very back molars)

A few more accomplishments of this amazing little boy:

He talks to Mommy in Japanese, while talking to Daddy and his family in English.

He puts 2-5 words together to make sentences. Asks for things, tells you things...has a conversation with himself.

He loves songs, especially gesture songs - twinkle twinkle, popcorn popping, wheels on the bus, head/shoulders, and a few Japanese songs - とんとんとんとん、パン屋さん，糸まきまき、げんこつ山のタヌキ....etc.

He can remember names and call people by them.

He has mastered the iPhone/iPod touch, our cell phones, laptops and TV.

He is so loving and caring toward Kai...and his "baby," a little tiger stuffed animal.

He can "Tahitian" dance...with his knees....haha

He jumps, dances, does "gymnastics"........he's a ball of energy....energy I don't have...

He is so fun, so active....and he has really developed a personality to match.

{wheels on the bus, and if you're happy and you know it...}

I fall more and more in love with this little boy. I can't believe how fast he has grown.

NOA ~

My little one... Watching you grow and learn has brought me the greatest joy.

and I am so so proud of you. Your smile and your laugh, your kisses and hugs....I can't help but smile and be happy. YOU brighten up the gloomiest of days!

Keep being you. Grow up strong.

Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

xoxoXOxoxox

Noa's ABC ♬

2011-08-17T11:09:00.000-10:00

One day, on our daily walk, I was singing songs to Noa and the ABC song was one of them.

he quickly picked it up and started singing with me.

We've sang this song many times before, but never like this...

It might be hard to hear but he sings the "now I know my abc's" part all by himself....now we just have to learn the beginning.

Good Morning.

2011-08-15T14:33:00.001-10:00

These are some of the wonderful and precious things I get to wake up to in the morning.

This little cutie and his happy, kicking feet.

brotherly love ♥...

and some more happy, kicking feet.

and also....

this.

whoa, bedhead.

*sigh*

what to do. what to do...

to cut...or not to cut...that is the question.

What do you say? Yay or Nay...?

My New Obsession.

2011-08-01T01:18:00.000-10:00

...or addiction...call it what you'd like.

but I am seriously SO into Pinterest right now.

Thanks to all my friends ~~pushing~~ introducing/inviting me to it. [*ahem* Christal, Jess...love ya]

I can't really put my finger on what I like about it so much...but I just do!

all the lovely photos...such fabulous ideas....

It excites me just thinking about all the things I can and will do with my hobbies, home, and future. It also makes me sad reflecting on how much cuter, more creative, and fantastic everyone else is in the world. I will channel that negative energy to motivate me to be better, to aspire to something that I can really be proud of. and that is what is so great about it!

If you don't have or are thinking about getting a pinterest account, do it!

It's fabulous.

And if you are awesome and waaay ahead of me with joining, then add me as your friend ;) pleeease. and I will "follow" you back. I promise.

just click on the button below.

and check me out. ♥

[here's a little sneak of what goodness awaits you.]

Merman.

2011-07-31T00:26:00.000-10:00

Did you know that I'm married to a merman?

Yup that's right. Chad is really half fish, half man.

It's just second nature for him to be in the water...unlike me...not only can I NOT swim, but I am deathly afraid of being in water deeper than 5 feet. Chad held a few records in high school and was one of the fastest swimmers on his team.

He has been wanting to get back into swimming ever since coming here to Hawaii, but work, ~~surfing~~ school, and other things have kept him from being able to. One day, something clicked inside of him and he decided to participate in the North Shore Swim Series - a series of races ranging from 1 mile to 2.3 miles in length on the North Shore of Oahu. He didn't have much time to train, so he got right to work. Every night after school and work he would go swim laps at the school pool in preparation for these big races.

He is such a dedicated and determined swimmer.

The third race of the four-race series was just today. Chad set himself a goal of finishing the 1.6 mile race in less than an hour. He knew that even with his training, he wasn't back to the level he was at in high school. With that goal in mind, he set off for the course against 650 other swimmers.

The Jaco's race went from Chun's Reef to Waimea Bay. 1.6 miles of upwind, against-current swim.

We waited for Chad at Waimea beach. We watched the first few swimmers coming in half an hour into the race. The first place guy came in at an amazing 32 minutes and 4 seconds.

Not too far behind him was my hubby. Against the 650 swimmers that participated in the race, Chad finished way ahead of his original goal of 1 hour. His official finish time was 43 minutes 30.9 seconds!! only 10 minutes behind the first swimmer. 82nd place overall, and 8th in his age group.

{battle wound.}

I am beyond proud of Chad. He set a goal and not only achieved it but he surpassed it.

There's just one more race to come. 2 weeks from now Chad will be racing the Jamba Juice North Shore Challenge, the longest of the four races at 2.3 miles. So excited.

We love you and are so proud of you Daddy!

One Sunday Afternoon.

2011-07-26T10:03:00.000-10:00

Chad and I decided to go on a little bike ride while Chad's mother offered to watch the kids. They were both napping so we thought an hour long stroll wouldn't hurt. We got on our bikes and left for the new bike/running path off of the very scenic Kam Hwy. It had been a while since I had ridden a bike and it took me a minute to get used to the feel again, but once I had gotten the hang of it we were off!

It was so nice. I enjoyed not only getting out of the house and getting that fresh air, but also seeing the beautiful mountains and nature around us. It really was a very scenic ride.

BUT as much as I enjoyed being active and being able to connect with nature, it was HOT. The sun was beaming down on us, humidity felt like it was 250%, and there was no wind...despite being on a bike and it being 4 o'clock in the afternoon...

sweaty and sticky, we ended our ride at a hidden beach. We watched the waves get tossed in all directions by the wind and strong current. (where was this wind while we were bike riding, I have no idea.)

We decided that we had left the kids long enough, and headed home. Out of the BLUE (literally) it started to DOWN POUR. There was NO sign of rain, not even a rain cloud. Welcome to Hawaii....

We were soaked. (Chad doesn't look as wet as me but you'll see in the next picture that he really was soaked.) The rain brought the temperature and humidity down, so we were able to have a pleasant rest of the evening. It was a fun and adventurous day for us all.

(yes, Chad is sticking his bum out right here. haha)

Our Ocean...

2011-07-25T20:58:00.000-10:00

Wow, it's been a while since my last post....

but that's only because I've been enjoying my time with Noa, Chad, Chad's family...

and this chunky monkey

We finally decided on a kanji for Kaiyu's name.

海裕

meaning abundant ocean.We thought it was very fitting for him.

I can't believe he is 2 months already!

well, 2 months and 11 days, to be exact.

We had his 2-month wellness checkup today.

and Kaiyu is...

12 pounds 5 ounces

23.5 inches

yup he's a chunk...gained a full 2 pounds since his last appointment.

Kai is so much fun...

He coos and gives us lots of social smiles and laughs.
His back and legs are so strong, it seems like he wants to stand up or crawl already.
Noa loves him to death. I often find him just laying next to Kai on the bed, holding his hand or stroking his head.

We are so lucky to have this little guy in our family.
We love you little Kai Kai.

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Not really a side note, but I want to mention our other little guy........
Since, at the time Noa was born, we couldn't decide on fitting kanji characters for his name, we chose to give him some now....and they suit him perfectly.

希明

....meaning, bright hope.

Red. White. and Blue.

2011-07-04T23:09:00.000-10:00

Happy 4th of July!!

We had a pretty low-key 4th of July.

Chad had to work the whole day, so I hung out with my two babies and baked some cupcakes.

o yeah....that's a good day.

[I know you want one...come on over :)]

the boys sported some red white and blue outfits and got us in the spirit of the holiday.

Noa enjoyed his "すいた"...or watermelon...and got himself covered in juice. head. to. toe.

it was a sticky mess. and he loved it.

me, not so much. but it was cute watching him enjoy every second of it.

After Daddy came home from work we ate some beef stew, enjoyed family time, and watched the Macy's 4th of July spectacular fireworks show. it was amazing.

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th!!!

we sure did!

Blessing

2011-06-28T14:49:00.000-10:00

Blessings come in many shapes,

in sizes large or small,

But a brand new little baby,

is the sweetest of them all.

-author unknown

your tiny hands and precious toes

chubby cheeks and adorable lips

your soft hair and perfect little ears

such pure, innocent eyes...

every little part of you is so perfect.

My little one, you bring us the greatest joy,

and are the sweetest blessing from heaven

ONE Month!

2011-06-14T16:20:00.001-10:00

It's been a whole month already!

I say it every time, but time flies! especially with the second one.

Sweet little Kai Kai...

＊ eats and sleeps like a champ

(he sleeps like 18+ hours a day)

＊ is growing bigger and bigger everyday

＊ has the chubbiest cheeks ever (as seen above...it's the cutest!)

＊ only wakes up a couple times a night :D

＊ loves to cuddle/be held

＊ loves tummy time

＊ brightens everyone's day!

10 pounds 4 ounces
21.25 inches

(*added after his one-month check up)

Keep growing little one.

We love you.

Happy One-Month Birthday!

Love Mommy Daddy and Big Brother Noa

Kaiyu's photos

2011-06-05T10:47:00.001-10:00

are now up on my photography blog.

Go check it out.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

since he is sleeping in all of those photos, here's some with his eyes open...

a sweet moment

Introducing....

2011-05-16T09:46:00.001-10:00

Baby Maris #2

Kaiyu Dean

(Kai for short)

Born: May 14th, 2011

7 pounds 2.2 ounces

19 inches long

We are so blessed.

We love you little one.

Just keep swimming.

2011-05-02T08:38:00.000-10:00

This weekend, we took a little family field trip down to the Waikiki Aquarium.

It was Noa's very first "big boy" activity, and he had a blast.

One of his most favorite words to say is "fishy" and everything that remotely looks like a fish (ie whales, sharks...even amphibians sometimes) he gets super excited and yells out "fiiishieee!!!"

We thought that this would be the perfect activity for him. and it was.

He absolutely LOVED it.

He got a little freaked out by some of the creatures and the darker rooms.

but my favorite were the jellyfish.

We learned about the Hawaiian Monk Seals. They are endangered, and there are only a thousand or so of them left in Hawaii. The ladies at the booth gave Noa a monk seal hat and tattoo.

Overall, such a FUN day.

...we'll maybe try out the zoo this next year or so...

PS did I mention my mom is here?! It has been SO nice having her here, having Noa be able to play with her and spend time together. I can't wait for this baby to come!!

Easter Goodness.

2011-04-22T16:24:00.001-10:00

Happy Easter!!

Photography update #1

2011-04-14T18:05:00.001-10:00

I had a busy week/weekend of photo shoots, weddings and receptions.

I have a ton of catching up to do, so stay tuned for more photo updates!

This is Stacey, isn't she gorgeous?

More, here.

Love is beautiful.

2011-04-10T22:39:00.000-10:00

more here.

Cuteness Part II

2011-04-05T15:09:00.000-10:00

make sure to leave them some love, HERE.

"Amen."

2011-04-05T02:20:00.002-10:00

Wasn't General Conference this year wonderful?!?

The last session (Sunday Afternoon) was my favorite, and the talks were exactly what I needed to hear. I am so grateful for living prophets and leaders who guide us through these tough times. I can't imagine going through life without knowing that there is a loving Heavenly Father, who wants us to succeed in life. And that through trials and tribulations we are able to grow and progress, become a better person, and become more like Christ. I know that I am FAR from perfect, but it is so comforting to know that if I do the best that I can do, the Lord will take care of the rest, and I can always rely on Him to be there for me. Always.

{If you would like to know more about our beliefs, click here, or if you would like to listen to any of the General Conference talks, go here.}

I am so thankful that I am able to raise Noa in this Gospel. I can't imagine my life without it. And I don't even want to think about raising a family in this world without it.

One of Noa's latest accomplishments have been prayer. We started having family prayer during meals and at night before putting Noa to bed. The three of us. Just short and sweet, but I wanted to make it a habit in our growing family to always have family prayer time.

He can fold his arms around his chest and bow his head when we tell him that it's "amen time." He comes and sits on the floor with us and sits still for most of the prayer. The best part (in my opinion) is at the very end of the prayer when we say amen, he always smiles and yells out "Amen!" which sounds more like AH-mehn.

It was the cutest thing though, when after hearing each Conference talk, when the speaker would close with an amen, Noa would look at the tv and repeat "Amen!"

He is just becoming the biggest talker, or should I say jabberer(?). He speaks in "sentences" = mixes up words I can actually understand with total non-sense, but I'm sure its making perfect sense in his little mind. I am a bit disappointed to say that his language sounds a little more English than Japanese...but he's learning...and I am not giving up.

His new words have been:

*Thank you! - "en-tyuu" - he's always been able to bow to express gratitude, but one day out of the blue he started saying thank you after someone did something for him that he liked.

*Bye-Bye - "buh-bye" - he doesn't wave much anymore, but he sure likes saying it!

*iPhone - "ai-phonn" - yup....

*Shoot! - "shyutt" - NO. not the bad kind you're thinking about. You probably thought we were horrible parents for teaching him such a word...but Chad has been watching a lot of basketball lately (March Madness I guess?) and remember the basketball hoop we got him for Christmas...well. everytime Noa sees a ball, a hoop, or anyone playing basketball, that is what he says.

*Rain - "a-me" (Japanese for rain) - he feels the rain and recognizes it right away.

*Juice - "jee-sh" - he loves his juice. All thanks to his daddy...

*Cracker - "ta-ckur" - yeah, a little hard to understand.

*Spoon - "poon" - what he calls all utensils...forks too...
*NOA! - He can finally say his name now! before, he was only able to say "No" and "Ah" but never together. He can also repeat 'my, name, is, Noa'
*One (year old) - "issai" (Japanese for 1-yr old) - when you ask him how old he is he puts his pointer finger up and says "issai!" Who knows if he understands what it means though...
*Dance - he likes to show off his moves. especially when there is music on
*Jump! - "bump" - I have no idea why it's bump, but thats what he says every time he bounces up and down.
*Hawaii - "A-wai"
*Aloha! - "Oh-ha!" - he's working on his shaka (hang loose) sign

It's so fun to watch him grow and develop each and every day.

I LOVE my little samurai boy!!

{photo from a heritage shoot Chad and I planned for his photography class...more pictures will be posted soon! Sorry, it was just the most recent picture I had of him...}

Cuteness Part I

2011-04-03T00:26:00.002-10:00

click here.

What's coming up...

2011-03-31T23:24:00.000-10:00

on my photography blog.

two gorgeous couple shoots!

them...

annd them.......

See what I mean? G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S

you don't want to miss this!

Also, go check out Adeline & Atsuko's Graduation shoot on my blog.

Sneak Peek.

2011-03-28T14:18:00.000-10:00

A windy, but fabulous photo shoot with these girls. Graduation is just around the corner!

Prego Update

2011-03-26T16:39:00.000-10:00

can I just say that this pregnancy has FLOWN BY?!!

I can't believe that I am 35 weeks already.

It has been a relatively easy pregnancy. With almost NO morning sickness.

Hallelujah!

I have just been super tired ALL the time.

I feel like this baby has sucked all of my energy right out of me.

Some days are better than others. I can wake up, clean, run errands...but other days, I feel like doing nothing else but stay in bed all day. I mostly feel bad for Noa, because I don't get the chance to let him play outside very often. He is such a good boy. He has his moments...but most days he just plays really well by himself. He gives me hugs and kisses randomly all the time. :) And pokes/strokes my growing belly saying "baby!" I can't wait for him to have a playmate.

Now, for the long awaited "belly picture"...

At 35 weeks.

{excuse my crazy hair.}

Chad tells me I am carrying a lot higher this time. And I feel WIDER. eek!

....so maybe it's a girl...HAHA

For comparison...this is me at 34/35 weeks with Noa.

What do you think???

I think I look about the same...I know its kinda hard to tell with the different angles of the pictures.

Photo Post

2011-03-23T23:11:00.000-10:00

Finally got this adorable couple's engagement photos up on the photography blog!

Check it out :D

Good Day.

2011-03-23T19:46:00.000-10:00

We had a good family day at the beach.

I love good family days...especially at the beach...and with this guy.

especially when he does this.

I love sand-in-the-face-and-EVERYwhere family beach days.

Period.

3.22.2011

2011-03-23T19:44:00.000-10:00

3.22.2011

...marks the day...

that I was sealed to this stud-muffin for time and all eternity, 3 years ago.

AND

also the day that I have had this cutie in my life for 19 months + 1 day

I am so blessed to have both of them in my life. And I am beyond thankful that I get to spend the rest of my life and forever with them both. Especially thankful for my Hubby. My best friend. My everything.

Happy 3-year Anniversary!

Thanks for the best 3 years of my life!

I love you!

xoxo

Elastic Waist Skirt.

2011-03-15T21:58:00.000-10:00

My latest sewing project is this beauty.

An elastic waist skirt.

It has a thick elastic band around the waist...super comfy. stretchy. perfect for my growing belly...AND for all you skinnies out there wanting a cute comfy skirt!

{One day I will master the art of sewing in a straight line ^^}

And one of the best features of this skirt...

Deep pockets!

On both sides.

I may put some pics of my [preggo] self modeling the skirt LATER, but for now, this is all you get.

Oh, and fabulous Christal modeling her mustard yellow creation...

{photo taken by ME}

just LOVE LoVE LOVE it!

To make your own, use this tutorial from Freshly Picked!
And have fun!!

Two birds with One stone.

2011-03-14T11:40:00.000-10:00

Just the other day I was able to go on a photo shoot with Christal, for this beautiful girl.

Tessa was so wonderful to work with. We didn't have to pose her or couch her at all.

She just worked it!

Both of them were so nice to let me sneak a mini photo shoot for Noa at the end of the day.

{The one I've been meaning to do for the past month or so...}

Photos from both of these shoots are up on my photography blog, so go take a look.

And be sure to leave them some love ;)

DIY: Jewelry Display

2011-03-12T10:50:00.001-10:00

If you need a cute/decorative way to organize your drawer full of earrings this is the perfect solution!

Materials you need to make your own:

a cute frame {just the frame} - you can go vintage, modern, simple - personalize it!

window screen {available at your local hardware store}

and hot glue

Cut the screen to the exact size of your frame.

glue it down to the insides using hot glue [careful not to burn yourself]

display your jewelry! and admire...

That's it!

Any ideas for cluttered necklaces and bracelets?
I was thinking the same kind of frame with hooks....or maybe a necklace tree....
thoughts??

A little Sneak...

2011-03-11T22:05:00.000-10:00

of this pretty girl, and her fabulous photo session from yesterday

Can't wait to share more!!!

Clone of a Cinnabon. Check.

2011-03-09T23:03:00.000-10:00

Christal and I made these last week on her day off.

Another item checked off my To-Bake list.

These were heavenly. Period.

No bread machine? No bread flour? No problem!!

We altered the recipe just a tad and they still came out perfect.

Clone of a Cinnabon

{recipe, minus bread machine/bread flour}

For original recipe and instructions, go HERE

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup butter, melted
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/3 cup butter, softened

3 ounces of cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm milk. Mix in the sugar, melted butter, salt, and eggs. Add flour and mix well.
Knead the dough into a ball, but don't over work it! Put in a bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. {we put plastic wrap on the counter to prevent the dough from sticking in the humidity. and it worked like a charm!}
Spread softened butter over dough and sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly.
Roll up dough and cut into 12 equal pieces. About 1.5-2 inches wide.
Place rolls in lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish, about 1-2 inches apart. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled in size. Preheat oven to 400 F.
Combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt in a small bowl. Mix well.
BAKE rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Spread with frosting.
And ENJOY!

They were seriously the best cinnamon rolls I have had in a LONG time!

You have got to try this recipe!!

Toddler Boy Neck Tie

2011-03-08T12:54:00.001-10:00

I always wanted a girl because I thought that I could only craft/sew things for little girls - headbands, dresses, accessories, and ruffly goodness...But I have come to live with the fact that I will soon be a mother of not just one, but TWO boys...and that even though there are a larger variety of girly crafts, if I get a little creative, I can make equally cute and adorable things for boys too!

Starting with TIES...the one thing that boys, and men alike, can use to put a little character and creative spin on their outfits. I looked everywhere for cute {non-clip-on} ties for infants and toddlers...with no success, I decided to make my own! One that looks like a real tied necktie and not one that Noa can easily rip off as soon as you put it on...

After much searching, I came across this fabulous tutorial on how to make one. It seriously took me less than an hour each to make!!! The only change I made was - I just adjusted the size to a smaller toddler size, probably 18mo. instead of the 3T...

and voila!

Cute, right?? I am SO happy with the way they turned out!

here are more pictures of the the sewing process and the finished product...

The tutorial from Sewing in No Mans Land is fantastic and I just followed it step-by-step

first, find fun/funky fabric you want to use.

I had this from when I made my apron a few years ago that I still LOVE.

I followed the advice and made a pattern, because I know that I will be making many more of these in the future (it's all crinckly because a little monkey got to it first)

...my measurements were 18in x 16in (on the long sides) and 3 in x 7 in (shorter sides)...very approximate.

Ironing is critical! not only does it make it easier to sew, it allows for a much cleaner finish!

And to finish - tie, straighten, and admire!

It looks like it has actually been tied and has the "folded" look on the back side, just like a grown-up tie!

I made the neck adjustable/expandable with velcro, so Noa has a little growing room.

And of course, I have the perfect boy to model the new ties!!

Go ahead and make your own!!! Again, the tutorial can be found here.

I'm thinking a bow-tie next....any thoughts??

{PS Noa's 18 month shoot is coming up soon! - Im thinking the yellow tie with a fun plaid shirt}

Just in case you didn't see...

2011-03-05T21:37:00.000-10:00

...on my other blog or on my facebook page, I just updated my photography blog with my latest shoot... go check it out HERE!

Apple of my eye

2011-03-02T20:18:00.000-10:00

He had his first "whole" apple....

He bit right in

I'm so blessed to have such a good boy as my son.

{PS I didn't edit/alter any of these photos except to add the watermark....they were all taken with my birthday present from the fabulous Husband. LOVE everything about the lens!}

Birthdays and Updates

2011-02-24T10:55:00.000-10:00

Yesterday was my birthday....

I am now past my Quarter of a CENTURY mark!

...boy do I feel old....

but the day was perfect, spent with the two people I love and care about the most!

These two....

I just love 'em!!

We went into "town" [AKA Honolulu].

We ate....

Went shopping.......

{Koi fish at the mall}

got lost in the city...

(not so fun)

Ate some more....

and had a Blast!

It was a fabulous day :D

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

On another birthday note, my little boy turned 18 months on Monday!

Officially, a year and a half.

Nursery-going age.

And definitely not a baby anymore.

Noa's latest developments and new tricks:

His weight - still small - 22.5 lbs

＊He runs super fast!

＊He can say "buh-bye" instead of just waving [AND says "see ya!" - didn't ever teach him that...]

＊He can go get a diaper when you ask him to, and throws it away in the trash when you are done

＊He says "done!" when finished doing/eating something

＊He is getting pickier and more demanding, and he knows exactly what he wants

＊He can throw a ball and "shoot" a basketball

＊He can say surfboard - sounds more like "Po-bord" - and can "paddle" on Daddy's board

＊When he sees pictures of things he knows, he calls it out: example - fish, cars, surfboard, beach...

＊He "tickles" you

＊いたいのいたいの飛んでけ！ [when he gets hurt, he does this thing where he throws the ouchy away...so cute! It also lets him forget the pain :D]

＊He says "mine" but I'm not sure if he knows what it means...

＊He can fake cry - usually when he doesn't get something he wants

It's so fun to see him grow and develop new skills!

He will always be a little baby to me tho!!

Love you baby!! xoxo Mommy

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

＊PS a little shout out to ALL the February birthdays out there＊

especially to.....

My sister - Yoko, my dad, and my mom!!!!

Love you and miss you tons!

Weekend + choc cookie sandwich recipe!

2011-02-20T20:57:00.000-10:00

On Saturday I had an engagement shoot with this cute couple...

I seriously had a blast! Stay tuned for more from this fun shoot!

And today, we had dinner with some friends. It was so much fun!

I was in charge of making dessert....and this is what I made:

Oreo cookie sandwiches (at least that's what I'm calling it...)

They were a hit!! :D

And its super easy!!

here's how you can make your own:

Oreo Cookie Sandwich

Cookies:

1 box of chocolate cake mix

2 eggs

1 stick of butter (room temp)

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Cream butter, eggs and vanilla together in a bowl. Add oil and cake mix, and mix until smooth. Add chocolate chips if desired.
Spoon about a 1-1.5 inch ball of cookie dough onto baking sheet 2 inches apart. (it helps if you have a small, 1.5 inch, ice cream scoop for this to make the dough even size and shape)
Bake in preheated 350F oven for 8-10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet before removing.

Frosting:

1 (8 oz) box of cream cheese (softened)

1 stick of butter (softened)

1 tsp vanilla

1 lb powdered sugar

[I ran out of powdered sugar, so I only used about 1/2-3/4 lb, and it was still super sweet and yummy!]

Cream butter and cream cheese together in a med size bowl. Add the vanilla, then slowly stir in powdered sugar.
Spoon a small amount of the frosting mixture onto one cookie, 1-2 Tbsp, then squish it down with another cookie until frosting is flush with the edge of cookies.

And of course, ENJOY!

♥ Happy Valentine's Day ♥

2011-02-14T20:23:00.004-10:00

This morning I woke up to this.....

My sneaky boys woke up extra early to make sure that this was a complete surprise!

...and it totally was :D

A handmade card....made with love and filled with sweet messages....

and the best gift of all...

sweet kisses from my little boy ♥

In return, Chad came home to this yummy goodness....

OK, ready for this??....They are White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Magic Bars from Baking Bites!

YUM-O

Hubby's favorite treats include anything with white chocolate, condensed milk, and/or coconut....so this was THE PERFECT dessert! - really, it's so good!

Here is the recipe:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup roasted, salted macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix together graham cracker crumbs, oatmeal, and melted butter; Press into even layer in a lightly greased 8x8 baking pan.
Layer evenly in the following order: first the white chocolate chips, then macadamia nuts, followed by coconut, and topped off with condensed milk (pour evenly over everything).
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until coconut is golden brown.
Cool completely before cutting.
*Makes 16-20 bars*

I hope that everyone had a fabulous Valentine's Day!!!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Sweet Tooth doesn't have to = Sugar High

2011-02-11T14:51:00.000-10:00

Since getting an oven (yipee!) I've been in the mood to BAKE!
Which is of course a good thing...right?

When I bake, it makes me happy and I feel like a good housewife, doing what housewives should be doing....BUT it also allows for a lot of temptation in the kitchen and a husband that ends up eating 50+% of the finished goods.

MODERATION is key.

I have a huge list of yummy recipes I've been dying to try, but I am resisting the urge to try them all in one day, or even one week...and spread them out throughout the monthS to come, and maybe even share the goodies with others - in turn making me a good neighbor too :D

The next treat on my list is a secret {to be revealed later, like Valentine's Day...}

but here are the other recipes that I plan on making in the near future...
feel free to try them and share how they turn out for you!!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie - um yes, please!
Clone of a Cinnabon - I have been CRAVING these for-EVER
Samoas Cupcakes
Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies (super easy!)
Or the more complicated Red Velvet Cake from scratch - still trying to decide which one I want to make more...
Chocolate Crackles - a re-try...because I failed so miserably last time I tried to make these....
Chocolate Truffles - minus the Grand marnier and coffee

....and the list goes on.....No really, it does!

Here's one that I checked off my list last week:

~~Lemon Bars~~

Lemon Bars
(family recipe)

Crust:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour

Filling:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup lemon juice

Preheat oven 350F

Cream butter and powdered sugar together. Add salt and flour, mix well.
Pat crust into 9x13 greased baking dish and Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Mix eggs and sugar until pale yellow. Slowly add dry ingredients. Add lemon juice.
Pour mixture over hot crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until top is golden brown.
*Cool before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar*

ENJOY! :D

Sweet

2011-02-11T10:48:00.000-10:00

Noa decorated his first valentine's cookie

it was so sweet.

we decided to surprised Daddy with it when he came home from school...

and he loved it!

there were kisses and hugs flying all over

and the cookie....

was gone in a flash!

Happy Valentine's Day!

L.O.V.E.

2011-02-02T23:39:00.000-10:00

February is one of my favorite months of the whole year.

I LOVE it!

It's a month of birthdays (4 in my family - including mine)
Come to think of it, Noa's half-birthday too...

A month of sweet treats and lots of hugs & kisses.

It's a month of LOVE, of course!
and everything else that comes with it...chocolate....flowers..........

Here are a few Valentine's Day ideas that I am loving right now...
{P.S. These are all DIY-(do-it-yourself)-able, so go ahead, make some for yourself!! I know I will}

Naturally Sweet - a DIY Valentine from Twig & Thistle
(there are more stickers for oranges, pears, berries, passion fruit...SO FUN!)

for your honey's Valentine's Day breakfast, how about some

Samoa Scones - YUUUUMMY - my favorite Girl Scout cookie in scone form.
get the recipe at Baking Bites

Valentine's wreaths:

The heart felt wreath from The Idea Room

and finally...

the paper rose heart from DIY dish

...Which leads me back to the photo at the beginning of this post....

I finished my paper rose project!!! YAY!
And it looks fabulous, if I do say so myself ;)

And SwEEt Husband took this glass vase

and spray painted it to make this faux-porcelain vase

Which goes SO much better in our apartment.
isn't he the sweetest? I LoVE him.....

And the final product.....

I also L.O.V.E.

Crazy??

2011-01-30T17:38:00.001-10:00

...Some people may say that I am, after hearing about my adventure from yesterday.

I went on a hike with my good friends Christal and Daniel....yes, 6 months pregnant...

It wasn't a long hike...in fact, we had to cut it short because of the killer mosquitoes that were eating Christal and I alive! Thank goodness for the girls that gave us bug spray, so it was a lot more pleasant on our way back....but by that time we had a TON of horrible bites already...

A HUGE THANKS to both Daniel and Christal for taking turns carrying Noa on their backs!!!

I really don't think I could have gone on this hike carrying him the whole way...

We were surrounded by beautiful wooded scenery, a side of Hawaii I hadn't yet experienced.

...some interesting vegetation....

We went through some farms located behind the campus to get to the trail head...

I got much needed exercise and fresh air!....it felt so good to get out and be so close to nature.
so do I think I'm crazy for doing this?? ....Not at all!!
Overall, it was a fabulous day and an amazing hike! (minus the killer mosquitoes)

Plus, I got some amazing twigs/sticks out of it for my next project! ;)

More projects & some random thoughts...

2011-01-29T10:16:00.000-10:00

Pillows 2 & 3 are done!

Take a look.....

Rosettes are super easy to make and this simple pink pinstripe helps to tone down the other rather loud prints and designs on my couch...

I got the idea for this pillow from ...Vanessa at V and Co.
I just made the ruffles a little wider, and only on one side of the pillow.
I'm very excited about how it turned out, even though Chad thinks it's too girlie ;)

Testing out the new pillow.
...I think he likes it too :D

All of my sewing was done on this beauty...

Margaret....my friend Christal's vintage sewing machine.
She sews perfectly and looks lovely too.
Thanks, Christal for letting me use your sewing machine!!

My next project I have planned is also super simple, yet super cute:

I made these paper roses using card stock and the spiral paper method.
I plan on making this:

by Dozi Design
Now, I just need to find some good twigs and branches lying around.....not so easy when you live on a tropical island with only one season all year-round.

On a more random note......

Noa fell asleep after having lunch in his high chair

I always have been envious of his long eye lashes...and today they seem to go on for miles.

Hubby is taking a photography class now.......am I jealous? YES...
He also took a photography class in high school

This photo was taken in his HS photography class and got high remarks.
It even got entered into a contest and was displayed in the library for everyone to see.
Appropriately titled: "Got milk?" :)

oh, how I love my boys!

Fabulous finds & Apt decor

2011-01-24T16:25:00.000-10:00

So what does a mom minus a child do with all that free time??

aside from working, sleeping, eating....etc, I have been frantically trying to decorate our rather drab and old apartment...planning, sewing, shopping, crafting...phew! SO much work!

Here is what I have come up with so far!

I first found this fabulous idea HERE.

And when I came across these adorable plates, I just had to try it out!

I LOVE secondhand/thrift stores and these fabulous finds!

all you need are cute decorative and functional plates...

vases, candle holders, etc. for the stands....some epoxy, and voila!

It's an easy, simple and inexpensive project that I just LOVE!

〜＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊〜

We have this awkward, impractical space in our living room wall, so I made this aqua curtain to cover it up! - and with some leftover fabric, made these flower curtain ties....

Now, onto pillow covers!

I have 3 pillows I have to cover, and 1 accent pillow to make.

and only the first pillow cover is completed!

It's reversible (?) ... :)

...the details:

For an easy tutorial on zippered pillow cases....go here.

And last (for this post), but not least.....
my MUGs!!!
(we had these random hooks under our rather HIGH cabinets - what better to hang on them than fun, colorful mugs?)

Have I told you that I LOVE second-hand stores?!

Well, that's it for now....but there are plenty more projects that I am working on, so stay tuned!!!

Something that made me smile today...

2011-01-22T22:07:00.000-10:00

As some of you may know, Chad and Noa have been visiting Chad's family in Vegas for the past 3 days {and yes, left ME all by myself on the island...}

I have missed them SO MUCH! more than I ever thought possible...

They just sent this to me and I wanted to share it with all of you, because it brightened up my day, and made me smile.

also, our dear friends, the Toma family, visited them today....

and Noa got to see his adorable girlfriend, Miu-chan :D

I so wish I could have been there.

Love you all!!!! and miss you tons!

Noa's newest tricks

2011-01-12T14:27:00.000-10:00

Noa is now 16 1/2 months old! wow, how time flies!

He is growing and learning everyday.....

His newest accomplishments and tricks include:

＊being able to say: fishy, waffle, feet, phone, ball, bouncing...

＊going down the stairs facing forward (scary at times, but he's getting better)

＊Peace!＊

...and the best part is he says "peeeeeeee" while he does it :D

oh, he is so Japanese!

I am also VERY proud to announce that our little man is really bilingual!

here is the proof:

A little background - we never actually taught him English body parts....only Japanese.

"anyo" (or Noa's "aniii") means foot/feet in Japanese baby language

"otete" (or "titi") means hand(s)

I am one proud mama ♥

Love you Noa!!

Happy Turkey Day!

2010-11-27T10:19:00.001-10:00

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday. A day of celebration. A day of eating and good food. A day of football??...and of course, A day of giving thanks and remembering all of the many blessings you have in your life to be thankful for.

This year we were able to spend this special day with great friends!

We got together, decorated, cooked, and brought together a fabulous Thanksgiving feast!!

Christal was the mastermind behind the table settings....I took pictures, and helped with these adorable napkin holders:

Everything looked so put together.....

...and so much like Thanksgiving...

The food was, of course, AMAZING and DELICIOUS!!!

(I brought mashed potatoes, drinks, and veggies...)

We had turkey, rolls, mashed potatoes, creamed carrots, string beans, candied yams, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, egg nog, ginger ale, and ..........

Dessert!!!

(banana cream pie, pumpkin pie/cookies/cheesecake!) YUM!

And our entertainment for the night - this little monkey...

...and his table-dance?? ;)

For being as far away from home as I have ever been for the holidays, it sure didn't feel like it!

I am grateful for wonderful friends - and our home away from home!

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!!

Noa's Quarterly Report (videos!)

2010-11-23T16:02:00.000-10:00

Noa is now 15-months old!!!
...I can't believe it!

How he's grown in the last 3 months:

☆he is SO TALKATIVE!! - his vocabulary has been expanding day by day - and he mumbles to himself a lot!

☆he can now say (mostly Japanese, but some English): Hi!, foot (あんよ), hand (お手て), pineapple, apple, pasta ("pa-pa"), baby, keys (かぎ), 着いた, ouch (いたい・たい), no, bread (パン), belly button, milk (牛乳), やだ, eyes (おめめ), drink (飲む), doggy (わんわん), oatmeal, cheerio, cereal, banana, アンパンマン, cookie, what (なに？)・・・I know there's more!・・・

☆he loves to listen to (and try to gesture to) Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Popcorn Popping

☆he eats 2 whole packets of oatmeal for breakfast! (one apple/cinnamon mixed with one plain)...then wants more cereal afterwards...how is he so small?!?!

☆he loves smoothies and fruit - grapes, bananas, apples, pears, watermelon, strawberries, pineapple...

☆he sleeps through the night! (Hallelujah!)

☆he has been falling asleep on his own for 2 months now!

☆he's starting to like vegetables...(raw) cucumber, tomato, (cooked) potatoes, carrots, celery, corn, green peppers...

☆he plays well on his own...plays with other kids even better!

☆he's showing signs of understanding both Japanese and English

☆he says "uh-vyu" when you say, "Love you!"

☆still gives the best kisses, and blow-kisses, ever!
☆he says "uh-oh" when he drops something
☆he loves throwing things
☆his favorite snack: a tie between banana and cheerios (the plain kind)....but when he can have it, its definitely smoothies!
☆his favorite thing to play with...my cell phone or keys
☆his favorite song: Itsy Bitsy
☆his favorite toy: mega blocks

Here are some great videos of how Noa has been growing!
(sorry my phone camera video quality isnt that great...)

Noa saying "pineapple" :)

Noa got a hold of my phone...and recorded a video...

This is how Noa has fun, while daddy is studying in the library!

translation: "gyu-nyu" = milk and "pan" = bread... "oishii" = YUMMY!

I'll be back to post his 15-month stats after his doctor's appointment soon!

24 weeks...and counting....

2010-11-16T17:06:00.000-10:00

...counting DOWN for a very exciting event happening in our lives very soon!

You may be asking...so, what's the event??

I will tell you....

*

*

*

the event involves

*Noa becoming a big brother...
*Me, becoming a mother of TWO...
*Our family total = 4! (wow)
*2 sets of diapers!! (ahh...)
*us = # of kids (not outnumbered yet!)
*2 car seats...*sigh*

so on, and so forth...

but we are SUPER excited!!!

cuz look how cute :D

BOY or GIRL...any guesses??
(we will find out in just a couple of weeks!!!)

I am about 16 weeks into my pregnancy [I can't believe how long I've gone without blogging about it!] and I am feeling great! - no morning sickness like last time (yipee!!), but feeling a lot more tired and fatigued ALL the time...which could have something to do with having a very active 1-year-old...haha
I am showing a lot more than last time...[some of you may have thought I was just getting fat...totally understandable! :D] and this pregnancy has gone a lot FASTER! I am almost half way through already! It feels like just yesterday I found out that I was having another baby.

I am NOT nervous about the pregnancy...but VERY anxious about after giving birth...Not really sure how I feel about becoming a mommy to TWO little ones yet...I feel like I have my hands full with Noa already - how am I going to juggle a toddler and a newborn?!? [help! any advice??]
We wanted our kids to be around 2 years apart so its (almost) perfect! The due date is April 30th 2011...so Noa and the baby will be at least 20 months apart

I am very grateful for the blessing of motherhood. I am thankful that we are being entrusted with another precious child of God, and look forward to the wonderful experiences and adventures of our growing family!!!

Rockin' the curly tail...

2010-10-28T20:33:00.000-10:00

Happy Halloween, everyone!!!!

Halloween is such a fun holiday, and this year, Noa is going to be........

I ADORE his little costume! - especially the curly tail and the plump tummy/bum. :D
Thank you, Grandma Betty!

Bucket List

2010-10-14T08:02:00.000-10:00

Although not MY complete bucket list, I found this list on my friend's blog, and thought it would be fun to see how many of the things on it I have accomplished. ENJOY :D

(X) Gone on a blind date
(X) Skipped school
( ) Watched someone die
(X) Been to Canada
(X) Been to Mexico
(X) Been to Florida
(X) Been to Hawaii - yes! I can finally say that I have!! This one's been on my list for a LONG time!
(X) Been on a plane
( ) Been on a helicopter
(X) Been lost
(X) Gone to Washington, DC
(X) Swam in the ocean
(X) Cried yourself to sleep
(X) Played cops and robbers
(X) Recently colored with crayons
(X) Sang Karaoke
(X) Paid for a meal with coins only
( ) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't.
(X) Made prank phone calls
( ) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans
(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(X) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(X) Watched the sunrise with someone
(X) Blown bubbles
(X) Gone ice-skating
(X) Gone to the movies
( ) Been deep sea fishing
(X) Driven across the United States (does the 30-hour drive from Michigan to Utah count?)
( ) Been in a hot air balloon
( ) Been sky diving {who doesn't have this on their bucket list???}
(X) Gone snowmobiling
(X) Gone jetskiing
(X) Lived in more than one country
(X) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars while listening to the crickets
(X) Seen a falling star and made a wish
( ) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser
( ) Seen the Statue of Liberty
( ) Gone to the top of Seattle Space Needle
(X) Been on a cruise
(X) Traveled by train
(X) Traveled by motorcycle
(X) Been horse back riding
( ) Ridden on a San Francisco CABLE CAR
(X) Been to Disneyland
(X) Been to Disney World
(X) Truly believe in the power of prayer
( ) Been in a rain forest
( ) Seen whales in the ocean
(X) Been to Niagara Falls
(X) Ridden on an elephant
( ) Swam with dolphins
( ) Been to the Olympics
( ) Walked on the Great Wall of China - I REALLY want to do this!
(X) Walked on fire -more like "jumped" over the fire...?
( ) Saw and heard a glacier calf
(X) Been water-skiing/wakeboarding
(X) Been snow-skiing
(X) Been to the Louvre - I totally have!!!
( ) Swam in the Mediterranean
( ) Been to a Major League Baseball game
( ) Been to a National Football League game
( ) Been to a National Soccer (football) game

I think I will need to add to this list in the future!

I have been...

2010-10-14T00:23:00.001-10:00

a slacker!... and I'm sorry....

I promise, our family hasn't dropped off the face of the earth...
we just went off to a little island in the Pacific Ocean called...Oahu!

and Life is better than EVER!

regardless of...
the ~300 sq ft studio that we call our home, with no stove/oven, diswasher, laudry, or couch...
the hubby being a full-time student AND having a full-time JOB {NEVER being home}
living 10+ minutes away from campus and all of our friends [leaving me with no social life...]
having a teething child waking us up all hours of the night...

I REALLY LOVE MY LIFE...

BECAUSE I HAVE...
a place to call HOME, a roof over our heads that shelters us from the rain
a hubby that loves us, that works SO hard to make us happy, and chooses to spend what little time he has, with us.
a car that takes us from point A to point B > and into the city when I need some civilized ppl interactions...
AND a healthy, HAPPY baby that brightens up my cloudy days with a simple smile/giggle

I have been
busy,
tired,
stressed,
and sometimes even a little sad...

but mostly, I have been...truly. truly. BLESSED!

Aloha and Mahalo, from the bottom of my heart!!

Birthday, birthday...Birth-DAY!

2010-08-23T23:16:00.000-10:00

Having 3 blogs to manage is A LOT harder than I anticipated...fun, but very time consuming!

This blog is designated to do one thing, and one thing only - to inform our friends and family about the daily happenings/adventures {whether BIG or small} of our little family - and I plan to do just that....however long it may take!

On Saturday {as many, if not ALL, of you know} we celebrated little Noa's birthday. He's ONE!!! I say this all the time, but it's true = Time seriously flies! - I can't believe it has been a year already!

from this:

to this:

to finally this:

i can't believe it...in 12 months?....really?!

Noa has truly been a blessing in our lives. It has made me grow up so much more than I could have ever imagined being a MOM, and he has taught me to be a better person, a better friend, a better daughter, a better wife, and a better mom. He is so happy all the time - and can brighten up a room with no effort at all...He seriously means everything to me.

For this very special occasion, we decided to have a little picnic - just as a family - low key and very simple. Our goal was to make this a memorable day for Noa, and for all of us. First birthdays only come ONCE...

needless to say, I've never planned for such an event, so this was a first for everyone involved :)

I made some cupcakes - thinking that all babies must have cake on their 1st birthday!

I think they turned out pretty cute, don't you?

the theme was "blue/ocean" in honor of the next chapter of our lives fast approaching...

Noa hesitantly took ~~a bite~~ a lick...

and.....

He DIDN'T LiKE it! :O

{I thought ALL babies loved the first taste of CAKE?!? what's wrong with my baby??!?}

...was the first thought that came to my mind...and then, i thought:

but wait, shouldn't I be happy that my 1-year-old doesn't love everything sugar? I mean, really, did I WANT Noa to love/be addicted to sweet, sugary foods? - of course not! So why was I so upset/crushed?...

well...I made the cupcakes especially for Noa...envisioning how he was going to devour the whole thing in seconds...and secretly hoping to get those adorable "first birthday cake smashing/bashing" pictures...even though I didn't get the first of my wishes to come true, I did get this:

...which was plenty "frosting-covered baby" for me!

isn't that just ADORABLE?! my favorite is when he gets frosting all over his hand from blowing a *kiss*...I just love him to death!

While all this was going on, us "adults" enjoyed a little Cafe Rio and juicy watermelon...YUM

and some quiet peaceful time in the beautiful breezy weather under the trees.

This was the perfect day!

ONE YEAR OLD!

2010-08-20T22:12:00.000-10:00

It's so sad to think that my baby isn't a BABY any more.....

Noa turned 1 today {August 21st}!!

(@ 1:35AM, to be exact - click here for the labor/birth story)

It's SO hard to believe that it has been a whole YEAR already! Time has truly flown by, and it's been one of the happiest years of my life. I am so thankful to have this sweet angel in my life!!

Here's a {month-by-month} look back at the most AMAZING year with this bundle of joy:
{Sorry, I don't have very good "comparison" photos}

*Just born*

＊8lbs 5.5oz, 19in

One month old:

{blessing day}

Two months old:

＊First real laugh

Three months old:

＊Supports his head perfectly

Four months old:

＊first tooth

＊Sits without support

＊Rolled over

＊first solid food

Five months old:

＊Gets up into half-sitting position

＊Army-crawl

Six months (half-way):

＊Crawls

＊Sits

＊4 teeth

＊Pulls himself up and stands!

{fat-lip, first big boo-boo}

Seven months:

＊More hair!
＊Climbs up stairs
＊Signs "milk"

Eight months:

＊5 teeth

＊Stands up w/o holding on

＊Waves bye-bye

＊Tongue-clicking

＊Claps

＊First steps

Nine Months:

＊6 teeth

＊WALKING!

＊High-fives

Ten months:

＊First word = Banana

＊Listen to voice commands

＊Drinks with straw

＊Feeds himself

Eleven months:

＊Has a vocabulary

＊Shakes his head saying "no no"

＊Headstands

＊Bows

＊Immitates sounds

AND NOW, at TWELVE MONTHS:

＊has his 8th tooth coming in

＊is pretty much running

＊moving non-stop

＊Adding to his vocab: "nya-nyan"=cat/dog, "bvoo-boo"=car, "ba-be"=baby

＊falls asleep on his own (kinda)

＊can "clean-up" toys, clothes, etc.

＊is becoming very sneaky about doing things that are "bad"

＊uses the TV remote {he actually points it at the TV and pushes buttons}

＊Gets UP on top of the coffee table

＊"jumps" and "dances"!!

＊Signs "more" when he wants something

＊Can get off couch/bed without help

＊Noa is the most amazing, fun, adorable baby ever!＊

He has blessed our lives so much! We are so lucky to have him.

Looking forward to more wonderful YEARS watching him grow and progress in life.

We love you so much, Noa!

Love, mommy {& daddy}

{PS videos are coming soon, I promise...Im still trying to figure out how to connect/upload our new camcorder/video to this comp. thanks for your patience!!}

Good (?) sleeper

2010-08-02T07:39:00.000-10:00

Just last week, Chad and I decided that it was time for Noa to start sleeping on his own...

it was a hard, but necessary decision, especially now that he is coming down on his one-year mark.

Ever since he has been off of the pacifier (like 5-month-ish), Noa has been needing to nurse to go to sleep for the night....and that means, when momma's tired, we both just fall asleep on the bed together....and that has been going on waaaay too long!

So...the very first night that we left him in his crib {the hardest thing ever!}, he lasted 25 minutes! ~ which felt a lot longer...but nonetheless, he was able to fall asleep, and WE were also able to last the whole 25 minutes, not going in the room to comfort him and rock him back to sleep. {i'm so proud of us!}

Last night was both amazing and sad...AMAZING because he only screamed for 5 minutes {YAY!}, but SAD because this is how we found him 10 minutes later....

Poor little guy, he must have been so tired!!! - I felt so bad and so cruel for letting him fall asleep like this....I just think of how tired he must have been to be able to fall asleep in this position - it makes me hurt a little inside....

Anyway...I hope that we can keep improving from now on...{keeping our fingers crossed!}

and hope that he will have an easier time falling asleep tonight!

12-1= 11 months!!!

2010-07-21T05:36:00.000-10:00

NOA is 11-months today!!!

What he has learned in the past month:

*he can imitate sounds really well - and tries to "talk" to you {in sentences}

(he can say "nana" for banana/food, "nenne" meaning sleep, "nai-nai" to put things away, "dada" for Dad, "mama" for Mom, "tta" when he finds things...etc - All in JAPANESE of course...)

*he understands "sit down" and other short commands...

*he knows the word for water - he'll go look for his sippy cup when you ask him where water is...

*he "blows" kisses {video coming soon}

*he does a lot better with strangers now

*he can make the "awawawa" sound with his hands and mouth {video coming soon}

*he is almost running! He walks so fast, his feet can't keep up

*he has completely gotten over his fear of grass!

*he says "no no no" while shaking his head - its quite hilarious...{video coming soon}

*he bows his head when you say "thank you," "sorry," and "good night" (in Japanese, only)

*He give you hugs, and cuddles with you! but he's mostly just up and going ALL the time

He is learning and growing up soooo fast!! I just want him to stay little forever...but it is really amazing to see him develop and discover new things. He is such a JOY to be around!

Go on over to my photoblog for some more amazingly adorable pictures of my little guy!

＊Just Life (and SOME photography stuff)

2010-07-10T18:44:00.000-10:00

I didn't know what to name this post because I really didn't know what I wanted to even post about. {so I just started writing, and came up with the title at the end...}

I guess I can start out by saying how excited I am about how Noa has been growing, and how fun it is to just watch him day to day progressing and changing! He has truly been the biggest blessing in my life. He is now almost running...and he is talking a LOT more, mimicking different sounds and trying to say words - like dada, mama, nenne (nigh-nigh), banana (of course) and mixing up different sounds to make up a word...He also knows how to bow now! {he's so Japanese! hahah} when ever you say "arigatou" (thank you) or "oyasuminasai" (good night) he BOWS!! its seriously one of the cutest things ever!

And Chad, {he's going to kill me for writing about him} but he is the best! - the best DAD, the best friend, the best son, and the BEST husband.

why, you may ask?? well{no one would really ask that...}, there are a few reasons my hubby is so wonderful, they are:

he loves me for me...he helps me get through my bad days {and my good days}....he is SO good with Noa....and he LOVES (and would do anything/everything for) his family

...and....and.........get this....

HE GOT ME THE CAMERA!!!

not just A camera, but THE one...

{Thanks Babe!!! thank you thank you thankyou!!!}

can you tell that I am ~~pretty~~ super duper excited about it?

I haven't even received it in the mail yet, and I'm already blogging about it!

there will definitely be more posts about this little item...guaranteed...

...but moving on.....

I am also pretty excited about my new little photography logo (for watermarking my photos)

if you still haven't gone over to my photoblog to see it, here it is:

do you love it? cuz I sure do!!!

I'm pretty proud of myself for coming up with the idea and also for making it all on my own!...it was inspired by one of my own previous photographs:

it's definitely one of my all time favorite photos...(even though it was taken with my measly little point-and-shoot)

I really hope that these things will help me kick off my little hobby into something a little more than just something I do from time to time....thank you all for the support that you've shown me thus far!

I am really looking forward to where this journey takes me!

Michigan Week 3

2010-07-07T11:28:00.000-10:00

Now onto Week 3 - and what a great week it was!

it started out with my little sister and I going shopping at Somerset. and we had a blast, of course!

When we got home, we made some parfaits for FHE desserts

mmm YUMMY!

We had a couple craft projects going on this week too, starting with some CLAY projects:

I made this turtle into a keychain and gave it to Chad as a pre-hawaii gift...

and made the strawberry into a cellphone strap :D

with the roses that we made, we decided to make some jewelry!

The finished products:

my sister's ring :)

and my necklace!

This was the first time I made jewelry like this, so i was pretty excited about the way it turned out!

I am still working on my other necklace, so more pictures will be posted later!!

Lastly, how can we have a craft-week, without making any headbands?!??
so we made some headbands...{only 2 of them pictured here}

my favorite that i've made so far!

Noa and I also had the chance to visit my dad at work....

and Noa was able to see for the first time - how robots are made/how they work!

On the day we left, our family went on a picnic at our county park...
it was the perfect day for a picnic!

sunny and bright, better wear that sunscreen!

We made some good food! - including this patriotic cake in early celebration of the 4th of July.

We spent some time on the playground...

the swing put Noa right to sleep.....

Along with playing volleyball on the HOT sand and throwing around a frisbee, we enjoyed some quiet peaceful time with nature.

on the lake

with some animals...

It was such a great day - and a fabulous 3 weeks at home with my family.

Michigan Week 2

2010-07-07T05:23:00.000-10:00

{It's going to be a LONG post again!!}

Noa and I both had such a great time back home -
we just LOVE our family and had a blast spending time with each one of them.

Week 2 was a chill/relaxed week, not like the week before or the week after. Nothing was really planned out...but we still were able to do fun activities - like: shopping, going on walks, taking pictures, making good food, just having a great time!

**we had quite a few photoshoots**

the first with a mini-watermelon

the watermelon was a very random idea...I thought it would be so cute to have him holding it or playing with it, but he had NO interest in it whatsoever :(

we did a second shoot with a golf theme....
{here is the story behind the outfit}: my dad is a huge golf-fanatic, and my neighbor came over one day and told us about how she made a golfer outfit when her two boys (now teenagers) were just babies and had their pictures taken in them...she thought it would be just darling if Noa wore the outfit and got his pictures taken in it as well...so we did!

the shoes even had real spikes on them! - I think that's the thing that scared Noa the most...because he would cry every time he tried to walk or crawl in them...

but i managed to get a few good shots:

The third photo shoot was for my little sister - After I cut her hair, we decided she needed to get some pictures done {senior picture style}. It was great for me because I got to practice shooting portraits and she got some great pictures!!
first, a hair shot:

{Before} {After}

I was also able to see one of my best friends growing up at her brother-in-law's graduation party.

it was so fun to see her for the first time in over a year!

10 Months!!!!

2010-06-21T19:53:00.001-10:00

My baby is growing up so fast!!!!

He turned 10 months old, today!

What he has accomplished in the past month:

＊He's starting to prefer walking over crawling

＊He's been standing up more and more

＊He has taken over 25 steps without stopping {that I have been able to count}

＊His FIRST WORD = "anana" or "nana," meaning Banana

＊He can pinch things between his thumb and pointer finger, and take it to his mouth

＊He can carry the spoon to his mouth

＊He points at things all the time!

＊He says "ooooo" a lot {and makes the funny "oooo" face}

＊Loves to play the piano
＊He is eating more normal (consistency) food - rice, bread, banana, cereal

＊He enjoys playing with his toy cars and rolling them on the ground

＊He can "Banzai!" {raise both hands in the air - *yay*} and raise his hand when you call his name

＊He can put a phone to his ear when you say "moshi moshi" {which means "hello" on the phone}
＊He drinks with a STRAW!

Happy Birthday Little One!!!!

we love you so SO much!

Maris Family

Photography Update.

Recipe: Bavarian Pear Tart

those eyes.

Go Pro.

.*＊SNOW DAY＊*.

Our Christmas in photos.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas.

Thankful.

the beach + a shark + a babe

An Update on my SIX month old!

rolling...

Halloween

A free photo shoot giveaway!

Happy feet.

Cheesecake stuffed chocolate cookies. {YUM!}

Some fun things.

Noa's birthday bash.

Not for the faint of heart.

A "little late" Birthday Tribute.

An "Almost" Birthday Tribute.

Noa's ABC ♬

Good Morning.

My New Obsession.

Merman.

One Sunday Afternoon.

Our Ocean...

Red. White. and Blue.

Blessing

ONE Month!

Kaiyu's photos

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

since he is sleeping in all of those photos, here's some with his eyes open...

Introducing....

Just keep swimming.

Easter Goodness.

Photography update #1

Love is beautiful.

Cuteness Part II

"Amen."

Cuteness Part I

What's coming up...

Sneak Peek.

Prego Update

Photo Post

Good Day.

3.22.2011

Elastic Waist Skirt.

Two birds with One stone.

DIY: Jewelry Display

A little Sneak...

Clone of a Cinnabon. Check.

Toddler Boy Neck Tie

Just in case you didn't see...

Apple of my eye

Birthdays and Updates

Weekend + choc cookie sandwich recipe!

♥ Happy Valentine's Day ♥

Sweet Tooth doesn't have to = Sugar High

Sweet

L.O.V.E.

Crazy??

More projects & some random thoughts...

Fabulous finds & Apt decor

Something that made me smile today...

Noa's newest tricks

Happy Turkey Day!

Noa's Quarterly Report (videos!)

24 weeks...and counting....

Rockin' the curly tail...

Bucket List

I have been...

Birthday, birthday...Birth-DAY!

ONE YEAR OLD!

Good (?) sleeper

12-1= 11 months!!!

*＊Just Life* (and SOME photography stuff)

Michigan Week 3

Michigan Week 2

10 Months!!!!

.＊SNOW DAY＊.

＊Just Life (and SOME photography stuff)