HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and prosperous New Year!

JUNICE

This is my current favorite SNL skit.  Kristen Wiig is just so hilarious.  Too funny. It makes me laugh so hard I cry.

CHRISTMAS AT GRANNY & PAW PAW'S

Sophie told Santa all she wanted was books.  What's wrong with that kid??
Grandkids and Santa
My sister Kari, her husband Eric, and their son Aiden
Kari's 4 month old Luke.  He is the most precious baby EVER!
Gracie, Kaitlyn, and Sophie
My Dad, Estelle, and Jill
Gracie
Jill, Luke, and Gracie
Estelle
Kari, Dad, and Luke
Andrew and Santa.  His ears get really sensitive with all the noise!
Aiden and Lillianne

Last night we had our family Christmas night at my parents' house.  The kids got way too many gifts and they were thrilled about the annual visit from Santa.  I know I've posted a ton of pics but there were so many good ones.  My sister, Jill, is in a lot of them (ham!).  We were also celebrating my sister Kari's birthday.  It was a fun evening.  

DUANE WAIHI, MBA

Woo hoo!  Duane received his MBA this evening (in an excruciatingly long ceremony I might add!).  I was sitting too far away to get a good picture of him receiving his master's degree but I will post a pic of him when it comes in from the University.  I am very proud of him.  He completed both his computer science degree and his MBA while holding down a 40 hour a week job and raising 3 kids.  I can't believe he did but he did!  Good job, honey!

ANNIVERSARY PIG OUT

Ok...so our 9th anniversary is tomorrow and we have had to pay for a lot of babysitting this holiday season (yes, we are social butterflies) so we decided to get Copeland's take out and eat at home after the kids were in bed.  I ordered the Al's Favorite filet ($27 and worth every penny) with carmelized onions, broccoli crowns and mashed sweet potatoes.  For dessert we had my all-time favorite the White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Raspberry Sauce.  It was DIVINE!  It is better than CUPCAKES (sacriledge, I know!).   We really pigged out and now I am feeling so not good.  This eating madness has got to stop.  I am wondering if I am going to be able to eat healthier in 2009.  I would really like to stop eating all the nasty food.  I eat lots of healthy food (I can really pack away the broccoli and asparagus) but I eat so many sugary carbs, too...and creamy pasta...and fast food.  Why am I telling you all of this?  I am hoping that admitting there is a problem is the first step to recovery!

CAN'T WAIT!

Just finished all the books and I saw Twilight a few weeks ago.  LOVE these two and can't wait for the second movie!

DISNEY'S DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES

Someone posted this on Facebook and I just cracked up (it doesn't take much with me!).

CHRISTMAS RECITAL

Sophie's Christmas recital was this evening and it was so cute.  She did really well and she even won an award for the most outstanding student of the year!  She is such a hard worker when it comes to the violin.  She practices almost every weekday and she is quite the perfectionist.  The video is just a tiny sampling of what she played in the recital.  Duane edited the video footage and it takes such a long time to do it that he just got a couple of things on there.  I wish he would have included her more complicated numbers but since I don't know how to edit and post video I guess I shouldn't complain (but I am anyway!).  We are so proud of Sophie's accomplishments.  The best part of the evening was when I received a big box of Godiva truffles as a thank you for all the hours I put in practicing with her.  She studies the Suzuki method so that means the parent is extremely involved and I have to admit that I get very frustrated and fed up with the whole thing but it is so rewarding when she gets to play in public.

SNOW!

Gracie and Estelle at their house.

My sister Kari's wintery house.

Aiden enjoying the snow.

Sophie at school.

Yes, it SNOWED today!!  So weird to see snow in what is basically a tropical rain forest.  The kids were so excited this morning.  They all popped right out of bed when I told them it was snowing and that NEVER happens.  Duane threw a snowball or two and Andrew was just thrilled to death.  I posted a pic of Sophie at school and a couple from my sisters.

FOUR, FOUR, FOUR, FOUR...

I got tagged by Marcy!

1. Four places I go to over and over: Target, Church, Raising Canes, my Mom's house.

2. Four people who email me regularly: Duane, Kari, Jenny, Judy

3. Four of my favorite places to eat: Coyote Blues, Zea, Tokyo Live, Raising Canes

4. Four places I would rather be right now: Disneyworld, Destin, Raising Cane's,      shopping.

5. Four people I tag: Kari, Jenny, Rebecca, Andrea.

6. Four TV shows I watch: 30 Rock, Grey's Anatomy, Fringe, Lost

LACKLUSTER THANKSGIVING

Well, this year's Thanksgiving was very low-key.  The food was fantastic as always but none of our extended family were able to come due to various illnessses.  So it was just my immediate family and we see each other all the time.  Kind of weird not seeing other relatives on Thanksgiving.  Of course, I ate way too much and was miserable most of the day.  The weather was warm and muggy so we didn't even go outside to take the kids' pictures.  Maybe next year it will be more exciting.  Today, I have already placed my Black Friday orders online.  I am not venturing out today unless it is later this afternoon and that will just be to get out of the house.  My sister texted me at 6am.  She had already been to three stores and she said all the digital frames that were on special were all snatched up already so I'm glad I didn't get up.  I think people are really desperate for bargains this year and I don't want to fight the crowds.  I am doing the bulk of my Christmas shopping in a couple of weeks and I am hoping there will be specials and sales then as well.  We'll see!

LOST!!

I cannot express to you how extremely thrilled I am to know that LOST is starting back up in January. I completely LOVE this show!!  Please enjoy this great video and head over to www.darkufo.blogspot.com for everything LOST.  (and no...I don't have anything better to do like clean house or take care of three children).

KINDERGARTEN THANKSGIVING FEAST

Andrew's Kindergarten class celebrated their Thanksgiving feast today.  They all look so cute in their costumes.  Andrew enjoyed his gluten and casein free sausages and chips. 

BIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

Gracie and Sophie in the newsroom.

Lillianne and Estelle.

Karlie

Kaitlyn

Andrew shopping for groceries.

Sophie the Dentist showing Andrew the proper way to brush.

Arts and Crafts time.

Birthday Boy Aiden

Andrew and Aiden making bubbles.

....more bubbles.

Andrew resting in the ambulance trying to figure out what to get into next.

King for a Day!!

We celebrated Aiden's 3rd birthday at the Children's Museum on Saturday.  The kids had a total blast.  Aiden is such a sweet little boy!  He is smart, happy, and affectionate and he loves his cousins and friends.  He is also a wonderful big brother to Baby Luke.  We are very proud of our "big boy" nephew!  Happy Birthday, Aiden!

CUPCAKES ARE BACK!!!

Have you all been wondering where my unhealthy obsession for cupcakes has gone the last couple of months??  Well, I have been indulging... no need to worry about that!  However, quite a while ago I told my friend Rebecca that I wouldn't post about cupcakes until she had her baby because she couldn't have sweets the last part of her pregnancy and reading my blog was torture.  Well, the precious angel has been born (congrats, Rebecca!) and it's time to catch up on CUPCAKES!!  I will be posting another cupcake review soon.  If anyone would like to suggest a local place or national brand (I am not above eating/reviewing a Hostess or Little Debbie product) to review please leave a comment or email me (I know that the act of leaving a comment boggles the mind of some of my readers!).  Until then, please enjoy these lovely photos of scrumptious-looking cupcakes.  The big, white one is white chocolate cranberry....WoW! 

HALLOWEEN 2008

Well, Halloween has come and gone this year and we had a blast.  The weather was great...neither hot nor cold but pleasantly cool.  Lillianne was a duck and she was so amazed the first time she went up to someone's house and they dumped a ton of candy in her bucket.  She looked at me and said "Yook Mama...da candy...I yuv it!"  She made me look at the candy after every house.  Andrew was Thomas the Tank Engine.  He has been that before and he loves it.  This year he kept the hat on all night and he stood patiently in line and said "Trick or Treat" with no prompting and even a couple of "Thank You's" (thank you 18 months of ABA therapy!).  He was very exited to get the candy even though he doesn't like candy.  Sophie was "The Shower Lady".  I am not really sure about this but she didn't want a costume from the store and she came up with it by herself and it was free so whatever.  It was actually kind of cute. Halfway through the Trick or Treating she got hot with the chenille robe and the shower cap on so she took them off and then looked like some kid walking around in her PJ's. Also pictured are Estelle (Jill's 2 year old) as a ballerina princess and Aiden (Kari's 3 year old) as a pirate in the most hysterical costume I have ever seen! We were home before 8pm and got the kids all tucked away and I put all the candy away.  Overall, a terrific Halloween!