BUSY BUSY BUSY

I need to post pictures from our camping trip up American Fork canyon this weekend..but I am SOOO busy at work! The other Executive Admin here took another job in the compliance department so I am all by myself and up to my eyeballs in stuff to do! We had a blast camping with all 5 kids and I will post pictures soon!

Super Cute!

So I decided to join the latest fad. Flower bows for my daughter's hair. I have always thought they were super cute,butI am not crafty enough to make them. So I have a bazillion friends that make them but I just can't get them to make me any ;) ...so I broke down and bought some instead! SUPER CUTE!

I can't wait to put them both of my girl's hair! Nick isn't sold on them, plus he thinks its ridiculous to pay so much for a stupid flower I can get at the craft store for like 30 cents each...geez I can't win!

Ta Da!

How's that for dramatic? I haven't had my hair this short since I was in the fourth grade! I don't know what it is but lately I have been sooo bored with my hair...well, with my whole look all together, so today I decided "I am chopping off my hair!" and I actually for once in my life stuck to my guns! (thank you very much Shayla!)

Wow. I am going to have to learn how to style it all over again but I thought it would be fun for a change. Check out Chrissy's blog for her updates....that's the best part of this whole story. When I told her I was going to chop mine I begged her to do hers. With a little push and a few hours of thinking time, she gave in and did it with me! Yeah hooray for Chrissy to be such a sport! I love you and you hair turned out super cute!

EEEEEEEEKKKKKKKK

I'm about to do something drastic and I am SOOOO SCARED! Stay tuned.....

*** oooo update...CHRISSY IS DOING IT TOO! YES....peer pressure baby!

Weekend Update

We had a pretty mellow weekend with just Nick and I and Ambria and Kayden. We went to the PG Carnival...yeee haw! Kayden and Ambria went on all of the little rides with Kelly, our crazy Chinese neighbor's little girl. Kayden even went on the little roller coaster! I couldn't believe it. Although, he wasn't smiling and happy about it, he didn't cry! He is such a tough little man. I wish I would have taken my camera.

We get all of the kids back this Friday and I think we are going camping Saturday. Then next weekend is the 4th and we have fireworks right over our house. They actually are really good ones too. I think on the 5th we will go to Raging Waters. The kids have never been and I haven't been in years. Plus it's like we skipped Spring and went straight to Summer so I'm sure it will be nice enough weather to play in the water all day. I am already ready for the weekend and it is only half way through the work day on Monday. ARGH. I have a feeling it is going to be a long week for Erika. HAPPY MONDAY!

1 is the lonliest number....

I'm home alone until Friday evening. Well, just me and Kman that is. Nick flew out to San Fransisco this morning for a work conference. I really don't like being home alone. There's just something about being all by myself at night that freaks me out! I know, I'm freakin 25 years old right...but seriously I still don't like it.

At least I have my baby to keep me compan. I thought maybe I would put him in bed with me but I know if I did he wouldn't sleep and neither would I. I'm really glad Nick and I don't travel more than once a year of so because I would never be able to get used to being away from him.

Last year Kayden and I went with him for half of the time he was there. I think he was there like an entire week though. Although it was fun getting out and taking the baby around the city in the day while Nick worked, I didn't think I could do it this year and still have vacation left for later when I need it..... and trust me...I NEED IT!

Proffessional?

Look what I did! I am super proud of myself. I did my first (well technically 2nd) set of acrylic nails on sissy and I think they turned out pretty good! I need some more practice..anyone want a free set?

Landscaping ...

Before...

After...

Looks better huh? I love the lights around it at night! Fun fun fun!

Weekend BBQ

We had some of Nick's co-workers over for a BBQ this weekend. The weather was pretty nice for the first part of it, but it got really cold toward the end so we had to move it inside. Here are some pics from the night:

Emmy and Nick

Kristen and Jen

Marci


Miss Emmy

This is Nick's boss in the red hat !

Pay It Forward

Alright Jessica, here I go! A few weeks ago I replied to Jessica's "Pay it forward" post. She made me the cutest frame ever! I will have to update this with a picture because she did a really good job, even though she didn't think so. ;)

So now it's my turn to pay it forward. So basically this is how it goes. 1.) the first three people to comment on this post get something homemade from yours truly (this ought to be fun). 2.) the first three to comment have to then post themselves and pay it forward to three other people who comment on their post.

That's it, it's that simple. So, who's up for the game? (just promise if you comment you won't be heartbroken when my gift is lop-sided, falling apart, or you simply can't figure out what exactly it is!) HA!

Before and After...

Ok so the boys hair grows super fast so it was time for a haircut. Ke'alohi has been begging to get her hair cut short. She has that super thick polynesian hair and when it grows too long it gets hard for her to handle. After enough begging we gave in. Here are the before and after pics:

Here is Kolya before...

... and after

...and before, not so good

...and after...MUCH MUCH BETTER

Next up we have Nakoa before...

...and ahhh much better after

Camera 1...

... and camera 2

And the grand finale folks...don't cry you long hair lovers
BEFORE.....

...and after

and last time......LONG...

...all gone, bu bye!

Whew. What a drastic change..dontcha think! But soooo much easier for the summer time!

We Have a Preschool Graduate!

Well, it's official. My little girl is growing up, and as sad as I am to see her get big, I'm so proud of her and how smart she is. This past Friday was Preschool graduation. They had a final program where the class sang songs, did sign language, and at the end the oldest kids in the class had a graduation ceremony. They had hats and they even got to walk to the graduation song, lula-bye style of course! It was so fun for Ambria. She loved her teacher and I can't believe how much she learned these past 9 months. What a smart little girl. Here are some pics from the day:

I love you Ambria,

and I am so proud of you!

Summer Time in PG

Well, school is out, and summer has officially started, at least for our kids that is. I LOVE SUMMER! Not only for the awesome weather, green green green everywhere, but I love the fact we get to spend some longer periods of time with the kids. During the summers we get to have the three oldest kids 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. It really makes a difference having them there two weeks at a time because you feel like you actually get to see them and spend some good quality time with them, and they don't have to turn around and go home the next day.

Last night about 8:45 we decided that we were going to take a bike ride to Maverik and get some treats. After contimplating on what to do with the baby, Nick came up with a brilliant idea! He strapped on a pair of roller blades, loaded Kayden up in the stroller, and we were on our way! It was a blast. I only got scared for a minute or two when we were going down a hill and Nick came cruising past me, flying down the hill, pushing Kayden in the stroller (swirving back and forth on his rollerblades)! Of course, Kayden loved every minute of it!

I'm excited to spend some time outside this summer on our new deck, bbq'n away, and just hangin out with the family!

I need to vent....

Ok, so I usually don't use my blog to vent, but I figure if I only do it every once in a while it can't hurt right? I'm hoping someone out there has some input for me, or has a similar type of situation.

I love where we live, and I love our neighbors..Summer, Jessica, Heather, even Bao the crazy chinese man. It's great, we all get along, hang out, bbq the whole 9 yards right. Ok, so then the house to our North....new neighbors, maybe moved in a little over a year ago- I'm not 100% sure. Well, you know how when you say hi to someone and you know they are only saying hi to be "nice" because you did, but they really would have never said hi on their own? Ya, they are those kind of neighbors. Ok, Ok, I am sure they are nice, if we had the chance to get to know them, but lately they have been doing some things that really irritate me.

Ok, so I can't help but think maybe they are a little "stuck up". I really am not one to judge but that is just the impression I get. Let me tell you some of my issues. Saturday we were out front playing with the kids and the guy comes out and asks "can we move this basketball hoop", the hoop is in our yard, not even over in theirs at all, on the curb in the gutter. Yes, it's a little beat up and maybe should be recycled, but the kids love it and they play with it all the time. So, supposively they wanted to move it because they were having a baby blessing the next day and wanted to make more room for parking. Ok seriously, it's 2 feet long, if we move it you could maybe park a skooter there, but not another car. Of course we are nice and say "oh, don't worry, you can just park in front of our house, or the china man accross the street's house (he was outside too). I can't help but think they just didn't want the ugly thing near "their yard". The guy kinda just rolled his eyes and went inside, not even saying "ok, gee thanks, I appreciate that"....oh, and considering the fact if they were SO WORRIED about parking, don't you think they would have parked in the garage and not in their driveway to make more room for their "friends"?

Ok, rewind a week or two. We live in a community where we all share common ground. Our backyards basically consist of about 10 feet off our our house. Anything else is common ground. We decided to put up the pool in between our house and the neighbors house because that is where the sun would hit it the majority of the day and keep it warm. We weren't bothering them, the kids were just out back swimming. Well, the neighbors were outside and as they walked around the corner of the house they said "THIS IS RIDICULOUS, HOW LONG ARE THEY GOING TO KEEP THIS POOL UP IN OUR YARD". So of course the kids came in to tell me what had happened, and I know I wasn't out there but I don't think my kids would make something like that up. I seriously was so mad. This has been building for a while, but I thought, eh, I will be the bigger person and let it go.

Ok so rewind back before the pool incident....the neighbors have a dog, with a shock collar. In order to have the shock collar work they have to bury a wire, all the way around their yard. So, they decided to dig a big reveine for the wire, but instead of staying on their property they crossed completly over basically against my house all the way up the side and through the back of my yard, so their dog had lots of room to play. So, basically they went into our yard, dug up our grass, (it all died)...and they never even asked us. Then their dog poops all over and they don't clean it up. argh. I am so frusterated.

Ok, and the icing on the cake....fast forward to Sunday..the baby blessing. Tables all through the back yard, into our yard and the neighbors...which is fine, no biggie right..it's COMMON GROUND remember? But then, little kids everywhere, in my pool, throwing all my pool toys around, letting the water out, tearing leaves off my tree. Then they climb up on my deck and go in my son's playhouse (which is meant for like 2-3yr olds), 4 or 5 kids at a time. Some of them maybe 10 years old, climbing out windows, on the roof. OH! That was it! I am DONE! Nick looked at me raising his eybrows like he knew something was about to happen.......

Nick "HONEY...What are you going to do?"

Erika (with an evil smile) "Well, for starters I am about to put on my bikini, lay out a towel on the back deck, turn up the radio, crack a beer and sunbath topless on my back porch.... and that is just the beginning..."

A weird moment of silence and then...

NOTHING. Absolutely NOTHING.

Ya, I grit my teeth and I let it go. But man, if those people only knew.....