Thursday, November 27, 2008

Playing tag

Okay... so I saw this tag post on a friend's blog (thanks Emily) and wanted to do it. So... here it is...

Here’s a list of 100 things. All the things I’ve done are highlighted in red. Copy this list on your own blog and come clean on everything you’ve done. Do it. You know you want to.

  1. Started your own blog
  2. Slept under the stars
  3. Played in a band (6th grade band class counts, right?)
  4. Visited Hawaii
  5. Watched a meteor shower
  6. Given more than you can afford to charity
  7. Been to Disneyland
  8. Climbed a mountain
  9. Held a praying mantis
  10. Sang a solo
  11. Bungee jumped
  12. Visited Paris
  13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
  14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
  15. Adopted a child
  16. Had food poisoning
  17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
  18. Grown your own vegetables
  19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
  20. Slept on an overnight train
  21. Had a pillow fight
  22. Hitch hiked
  23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (who hasn't?)
  24. Built a snow fort
  25. Held a lamb
  26. Gone skinny dipping (shhh, don't tell)
  27. Run a Marathon (does a 1/2 marathon count?)
  28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
  29. Seen a total eclipse
  30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
  31. Hit a home run (wahoo for YW softball)
  32. Been on a cruise
  33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
  34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (does Hurricane, UT count?)
  35. Seen an Amish community
  36. Taught yourself a new language
  37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
  38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
  39. Gone rock climbing
  40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
  41. Sung karaoke
  42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
  43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
  44. Visited Africa
  45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
  46. Been transported in an ambulance
  47. Had your portrait painted
  48. Gone deep sea fishing
  49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
  50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
  51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
  52. Kissed in the rain
  53. Played in the mud
  54. Gone to a drive-in theater
  55. Been in a movie
  56. Visited the Great Wall of China
  57. Started a business
  58. Taken a martial arts class
  59. Visited Russia
  60. Served at a soup kitchen
  61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
  62. Gone whale watching
  63. Got flowers for no reason
  64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
  65. Gone sky diving
  66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
  67. Bounced a check
  68. Flown in a helicopter
  69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
  70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
  71. Eaten Caviar
  72. Pieced a quilt
  73. Stood in Times Square
  74. Toured the Everglades
  75. Been fired from a job
  76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
  77. Broken a bone (Thank you Jennifer)
  78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
  79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
  80. Published a book
  81. Visited the Vatican
  82. Bought a brand new car
  83. Walked in Jerusalem
  84. Had your picture in the newspaper
  85. Read the entire Bible
  86. Visited the White House
  87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
  88. Had chickenpox
  89. Saved someone’s life
  90. Sat on a jury
  91. Met someone famous
  92. Joined a book club
  93. Lost a loved one
  94. Had a baby
  95. Seen the Alamo in person
  96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
  97. Been involved in a law suit
  98. Owned a cell phone
  99. Been stung by a bee
  100. Visited Italy

Isn't it crazy that I have lived in Salt Lake City now for 9 years and I have NEVER swam in the Great Salt Lake?? hmmmm.


So I’ve done 56 out of 100 things. I guess that means I'm sort of adventurous, right? However... I did most of those things while in high school and during college. Thank you mom and dad for giving me those GREAT opportunites of traveling.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Happy Birthday Malia!

I can't believe my baby is already a year old. It has gone by TOO fast. She has grown up so much these past few months. I haven't gone to the Dr. yet, so I don't know her "stats". However, I did put her on the scale at the Vet a few weeks ago and she was 27.6 pounds. So... she is still REALLY healthy.


Here are a few of her favorite things...


* Dance - she loves to dance whenever she hears music


* Shoes - she brings them to me so I can put them on her.


* Meesha - When we get home the first thing she does to run to Meesha's kennel to let her out.


* Bite - I know this is a negative thing, but... I am finding it hard for her to understand that the person receiving the bite is NOT as happy as she is actually giving the bite.


* Blankies - She has 4 favorite blankies (the soft kinds) that she cannot live without. She has them all in her crib and has to have ALL of them in her arms to fall asleep. The other day I could hear her screaming from upstairs, so I ran up and she was trying to pull out her blankets through the slats in the crib and they were stuck. So, as soon as she had them all in her arms she was happy as could be.


* Dora couch - Grandma Kaufusi gave her a Dora couch for her birthday. The kinds that folds out to a bed. She loves to sit and lay on it. She changes it from bed to couch constantly. It keeps her entertained for a good hour. Before she actually lays still enough to fall asleep.


* Follow - She loves to follow Taliana and Ammon around. It is SO funny... if Ammon is playing with his light-saber, then Malia has to have a light-saber to play with too. And if Taliana is playing with her babies, Malia has to have a baby in her arms as well.


* Pretties - Malia loves to have "pretties" (aka bows) in her hair. She also loves to rip them out and have you put them back in.


* Piggie-back rides - Malia loves when I give her piggie-back rides down the stairs. She knows how to come down the stairs on her own, but sometimes she will yell "mom, mom, mom, mom" from the top of the stairs so I can come get her to give her a ride down.


We feel very blessed to have Malia a part of our family. It was worth the LONG wait. Now I am left with one thought... do I keep her as the youngest or do I give her another play-mate? Hmmmm...... decisions, decisions!

Here is Malia in her favorite spot. Malia loves to get her morning bottle and sit on the stairs and drink it. She thinks she is such a big girl because she can sit and kick her feel while she drinks her bottle. And of course.... her blankie in the other hand.






The night of her birthday I was in the kitchen helping Taliana with Malia's birthday cake. We noticed things were quiet and we couldn't hear Malia. We went into the Family room and here was Malia. She had found a sucker and opened it and nestled into Ammon chair and was watching TV and eating her sucker. It was too cute that I couldn't get mad at her (after all... it was her birthday). So... I just grabbed the camera and snapped a picture.










Taliana made this birthday cake for Malia. Jason had to work late that night, so we decided to do a little party of our own. Which consisted of Malia'a favorite dinner... Top Ramen. Malia loved her cake. Thanks Taliana, you are such a great big sister!








Here is Malia getting ready to blow out her candle. Sorry... I was also video taping, so I only got a picture of her just before we set down the cake.

Disney on Ice















Yes... we have kept the tradition going. We took the kids to Disney on Ice last night. We have gone the past 4 times. However, we did have to miss last year because I had just had Malia a few days before. The kids love to go. Malia was SO good. She sat SO still on Jason's lap and watched the whole thing. She was so sad when the intermission came and the lights came on. I have to say... this was the BEST show I've seen so far. They had ALL the princesses there. They spot-lighted each one. Mulan was mine and Taliana's favorite. I love the music in Mulan. It was a fun filled night for ALL!










Here we are waiting for the show to start.





We let the kids pick out one souveniour from the show. This was their pick this time.








We always get a photo taken when we go. We have built up a pretty good collection....



Sunday, November 9, 2008

Malia's Birthday Party









Here are a few pictures from Malia's party. It was PERFECT. Everything went as planned. The only thing I would have done differently was have someone (beside myself) take the pictures. I was too busy visiting with everyone and helping Malia that I didn't get as many good shots as I would have liked. But all in all.... it was a GREAT party.




Here are the flowers my mom and I made out of tissue paper. I loved how they turned out. Definitely something fun and easy for a cute decoartion.




Taliana is hanging out with her cousins.


I have to give a BIG shout out to my sister in-law Alesi. She ran a half-marathon, then jumped in the car (with her family) and drove 4+ hours to be here for Malia's first birthday. Thank you SO much for coming up. It meant so much for ALL of us that you came. I'm sad it was only a short visit, but hopefully we can get together again soon.
Here is Malia with her cake. He didn't have any candles... so... we had to resort to the next best thing... a LOLIPOP. It was perfect!
It was a tight squeeze to put to bounce houses in the gym... but it all worked out.




















Thursday, November 6, 2008

What's up with all the sickness?

Okay... I don't mean to complain... but... what is going on in the state of Utah that almost everyone I know is sick?? Don't the germs know that I am TRYING to host a fabulous birthday party for my cute Malia?? I think half of my guests have called or emailed to tell me that they are sick and will not be coming to the festivities. I thought I picked a good weekend... but as my luck goes... "I'm just not lucky".

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Happy Halloween!




























I know it is after Halloween, but I was debating whether or not to post these pictures. I feel like I have been bombarding you (speaking to the few readers I have) with pictures lately. But then... I thought the kids looked pretty cute and wanted you to see them as well.




Taliana was "Gabriella" from High School Musical.























Ammon was "Anikan Skywalker" from Star Wars the Clone Wars.



























Malia was a little monkey. Each of my kids have worn this costume for their first Halloween so I was SO excited when Jason found this costume the night before. I thought had given it back to my sister Jennifer (the rightful owner - my mom made this costume for her daughter Tana on her first Halloween).






I also forgot to post a picture of Malia's pumpkin. She loved it so much she didn't want to let go.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Malia's birthday invitation


I have to write a post about this. My sweet sister Jennifer spent all day working on this SUPER CUTE invitation for Malia's party. I love it! And it fits her perfectly. Although Jennifer will NOT be able to come up to the party, Malia is SO grateful to have an amazing auntie like her. Thank you so much!