The Family Card

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

I guess I should have cooked dinner tonight, but instead I get to write this letter. Last August we moved to Oahu, Hawaii and surprise, we’re still here! It’s great. We can wear shorts every day of the year and complain when the ocean water turns a frigid 75 degrees in the winter.
After many trips to the hospital and a month of bed rest, Beckett David John Kemper (and you thought EmilieAn was a mouthful) was born on March 7th. He looks just like Brenner, but on many days all I can see is David in those big eyes with cheeks nearly reaching his eyes. He’s dying to walk and loves eating solid foods, like refried beans.

Brenner completed Kindergarten and is now a great first grader. He loves to read, catch geckos, collect bugs, boogey board, play in the surf, jump on the trampoline, go camping, play T-ball, and race everywhere. He’s got lots of good friends in the neighborhood and the herd has a great time just walking (or riding on various modes of wheeled, child powered transportation) to school.

EmilieAn taught lots of scrapbooking classes before she had the baby and was quite popular with the local scrappers. Her return has been requested but the strain of child rearing has so far kept her from teaching. She helps outs with Brenner’s Tiger Scout den and helps her husband study for the eternal onslaught of military boards. I couldn’t have done it without her.
I’ve had a busy year with those military boards and leadership schools. This last month I’ve just really been enjoying the time with my family. I’m supposed to be helping the young men in our church ward but my frequent absence has not been helpful.

All in all our family is doing well. We think of and pray for our far away friends and family often but have met many great people here in Hawaii. We love visitors from the mainland but you must apply if you want to stay at the Kemper Inn. Some family has come and it has been great. We truly hope you are all doing well and send you best wishes for the New Year.

With much love and aloha
!!HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!


P.S. This was all mounted to the back of a very cute door hanger that Welcomed Christmas. I should have gotten a pic of it before I mailed them all out. I'll remember that next year; and to start as soon as the stores throw up decorations and selling the candy. Maybe then I'll be on top of stuff for next year.

Tis the season

This is the most amazing thing I've seen for Christmas. This man also makes donation to the make a wish foundation for all those that come and visit. It's amazing.

Mama Machine

Okay so I have this friend that is totally worthy of being bragged about. Yup...that's right. Other's are making the list ... er .... cut that is....to make the blog. Memo to you...do something great to make the blog. Anyways. So this friend of mine is this great and amazing mother. If I didn't like her first it would in fact be quite difficult to like her now. Actually down right hard. See she's one of those almost perfect people and super cute ... hot actually. *LOL* So here's her list of radness qualities....
~She just ran the honolulu marathon on Sunday after deciding to do it the friday before.
~Finished the marathon injury free.
~Ran it in under 4 hours....huge feat.
~Gave birth to her first baby 8 weeks before the marathon.

~Yup she just gave birth to her sweet little daughter a mere 8 weeks ago.
~She also just said goodbye to her husband and sent him off to the desert a full week ago.

Radness level 12

Oh and while pregnant she ran in a bunch of races and surfed up until three weeks before birth. Of course she worked up until the day before she had her baby. But the kicker is that she and her husband look like Ken & Babie in Hawaii have a baby. Luckily they didn't name their baby Skipper.

ka thud

Strange title I know but it's true. I've got the husband back home, middle of nowhere. Actual longitude and latitude directions for Hawaii. And now I've fallen off the face of the earth. I'll get back to it soon. Whhhell maybe not so soon as I'd like. Christmas is coming and the mommies getting fat. Seriously, have you seen all that good stuff people bring to your houses? Nice. Your so called friends are bringing you lard for your thighs. Love it. That and all the sugar. But I have to say I'd be more offended if they brought bananas. Ewww. maybe I'll bring bananas and apples to some of my neighbors to be funny. "Happy Christmas. Here's some prunes, apples, and grapes." Just a cute update!. BECKETT'S AVERAGE. Okay so I never thought it would be so hard to get an average kid. If you're wondering. Super hard. See those checks. Lot of work went into those. Beck had some troubles...well .... a lot of troubles gaining weight. and a LOT of trouble keeping anything in. Reader's Digest version. So from starting out at the 50th% dropped to below the 5th% and now at 8 1/2 mo we're at the 51st%. Phew! That was a lot of work. But the best news we could ever get. He's average. Weight and developmentally things have not been compromised. We still have to monitor him and keep close eye on milestones and possible "future" problems....but for now we're average. And get this....our next dr. appointment is not next week....or next month.....it's next year!. Yeah! We are sooooo normal baby now. I did think in light of the constant trips pre birth and post birth to Triplar I got their commemorative ornament. Ironic and perfectly summing up our whole year. It's quite cute to.

Super Ta-Da moment

Okay so I know it's hard to hear and the shaking is really bad but it's amazing to us that his second word or first consistent word is Brother. That's what we call each of the boys and they call each other too. So We love it.

Beckett hasn't really wanting anything to do with signing. That and for the first three four months of his life we had to hold him at a 40 degree angle for an hour after feeding to minimize the volume of spit up escaping. That makes it hard to use your hands for anything to sign. Anyhow. He's starting to pick it up. He goes to school to pick up brother in the morning and all the ladies wave to him. He doesn't like going to anyone else but Mama and so when they wave he gets his nervous face and signs mama and waves back. It's also on the cheek wave. He's also got the milk sign too and is using it for any food right now. But my favorite one he does is the one we do for "good boy" he'll sign boy and smile and kick when he does something he likes. Whether we've told him good job or not. I think it's cute. He's not a big babbler and just kind of coo's with his mouth closed. It takes a trained professional to detect a upset grunt from a happy grunt from an "help my big fat leg is stuck" grunt. The latter one happens most often but actually is being encroached upon by the "I can't get my foot over so I can stand up" grunt. Very tricky and subtle the difference but still a difference.

Okay so I guess this is video day at the Kemper cave. Brenner and Beckett do just about everything together barring the naps. Brenner says he's just too big for that. But the two of them thought it fun to do snacks together this evening. Brenner was teaching on the proper technique of Sun Flower Seeds. Then Beckett tried his hardest to keep up.

The little boy is in love with tasting things and has now found that other things make good places to blow raspberries on besides the mama. He is also fascinated with the marks that his teeth make on things. We now have those cute two bottom teeth and the top middle and one on the left should pop tomorrow.

My 8's

8 things I'm passionate about:
1. My sleep
2. My babies checks (all my boys) ;0 ;)
3. Catalina Salad Dressing
4. Juan
5. Friends/ER - Yeah Ya-Ya's
6. Having pretty paper to touch if not scrapbook
7. Having good friends
8. But really it's all about the giggle.


8 things I want to do before I die:
1. Go to Italy and see everything
2. Have a hard time trying to find something to buy with my extra cash of $5 million dollars before tax time every year.
3. Have Sean Connary say my name (it's okay. He's on my list. It's laminated)
4. Become a Sign Language Interpreter
5. Open a salon in my garage apartment
6. Have a personal assistant, chef, maid, driver
7. Live over seas
8. Win at a huge BINGO game where I'm the youngest person in the room by like 50 years.

8 things I say often:
1. "Whatareyoudoin?!" all one word while looking down
2. "Go open the garage/car and load up."
3. "Go get Christian it's time for school."
4. "Both cheeks on the chair."
5. "Tick-a tick-a tick-a tock. Beckett is our poo poo clock"
6. "Do you hear your brother crying? Could you help him please?" Usually a hand sticking a binkie in his mouth w/o looking at him saying "Beckett, you're okay."
7. "Are you kidding me? No. Don't do that. Seriously no."
8. "Go to bed." Times three and then "Go to bed and spank yourself on the way back up. Thank you Good night!"

8 books I've recently read:
1. First off. Are you kidding me? This is funny. Ya-ya are you laughing & peeing yet? Book I've read?
2. Yu-Gi-O's how to play
3. My little Fire Engine
4. Parent's magazine
5. Paper Crafts
6. Homework folders & all 10 sheets of homework everyday
7. Brenner's daily journal entries
8. Do Captions on the TV count?

What I could listen to over and over:
1. I love the oldies
2. Phantom of the Opera soundtrack ( got to go backstage in NYC in an ON BROADWAY show)
3. Podcasts from the man's genre of tri somethings. I can't spell phedipidation anyhow and bret is still cool. (it's what I usually hear)
4. My copy of Monster Ballads from Steve. Love ya "more than words can say"
5.Choo Choo Soul
6. I make up my own songs all day long with the boys. I think it's great. Brenner's starting to realize they're not real songs. I guess that's why you stay in school huh?
7. Les Mis
8. Country swing dancing music. I think of college days and my dad.

8 things that attract me to my best friends:

Okay so this isn't for all but some friends have seriously random starts that merit a plug.

1. Leah - I was moving and didn't have time to be her friend & her vast movie supply
2. Jen Hunsaker - Her white lawn chair for the dinner table
3. Jen Kelley Betty - Coloring during a Military class & being more fun than me
4. Ashley - Her chest is false advertisement for my nursing baby
5. Leah - she solves my problems before I knew I had a problem. That's love and dedication
6. Trisch - Too many to name but you've sewn yourself into my heart with all you are. Even that great bread.
7. Mom - From the first time I saw you I was in love. *Cheesy cute huh?* P.S. Thanks for all you've taught me. I know it wasn't easy but it was worth it. I use that potty training thing all the time. Thanks.
8. Sherrie - I loved counting her dreds & her extra toes.

8 things I've learned this past year:
1. Bed rest is only cool if you have cable.
2. Miraculous babies happen
3. Blankets and towels clean up far more spit up
4. It's possible to love two boys and still want to love them more
5. I can do it all. Not well but it all. To do it all you can't do it well.
6. Hawaii isn't all that bad.
7. The tenants get grumpy when not in bed by their schedule.
8. I'll love my husband more each day and grow more and more crazy about him too

8 People I think should do the Crazy 8's:
I've already tagged people so this is just for you to know me. *wicked evil sinister laugh* mmewah ha ha ha ha.

Freeze Tag

Alright. I didn't know how this game went. I wasn't aware that if I read someones blog that was tagged I was it. Or maybe I really just didn't pay attention. Either way I've been tagged. And immediately I thought of freeze tag. Loved that game. You know the one where you got tagged and had to freeze and then the other "non" tagged people tried to run under your legs to "un"freeze you. LOVED it. So I guess I'm tagged and frozen Until I do my little blog for it. And I think I'll need to do my crazy 8's to boot too. That's another day. P.S. Sorry about not posting for so long. Something about my URL's are lousy or something. Nothings been going through. So there'll be a lot of posts soon to catch Kemper up.

So here we go. Hehem!

I've been tagged by Meredith. Super smooches to you!
Here's how you play: Once you have been tagged, you have to make a post with seven weird/random facts or habits about yourself. At the end choose seven people to be tagged, listing their names and why you chose them. Don't forget to leave the person you've tagged a comment ("You've been tagged!") and tell them to read your blog. You can't tag the person who tagged you.

1 - I love sour cream on bologna. Shut up it's good. I don't care that everyone is silently or not so silently gagging right now. I don't care. I love it. And I have converted at least 5 people over to it. Try it if you dare. I love condiments. I have my favorites. And yes everything in the world would be made better by slapping or dipping into one of these. In order of love, not usefulness they are: Kraft Catalina salad dressing, Ketchup, Sour Cream.

2 - I have always called men's boxers panties. It works every time to get the teenagers to pull up their pants when the boxers are showing. You simply say, "Your panties are showing." They in turn get very upset and declare vehemently that they do not wear panties WHILE pulling up their pants. Thus solving the seeing your underwear problem. I love doing it. In fact I love saying the word panties. It's very fun. oooh. Hence the blog title. Oh it all comes full circle. How nice.

3 - I'm a half breed. Mom's full Spanish and my Dad is White. And I mean white. As in no pigment at all. My cousins are half white and half black and still look white. I gained the ability to tan and have pigmentation from my mother's side. Props to mom. The ability to have my skin be translucent when not in contact with light comes from Dad.

4 - I call & refer to my husband as Kemper. It's just easier. And that's really his name. Oh and Brenner is little Kemper. I wonder what I'll do when Beckett's walking and wandering around? Last Kemper? Mini Kemper? Send in your suggestions now so I can try them out. Who knows maybe he'll be Beckett.

5- I became a funny girl out of sheer fear. In H.S. the football players thought it funny to stop random Sophomores and "ask" them for their money. One time I was stopped. I'm 5 feet tall. 100 lbs. He's 6 something and easily 250 lbs. Oh and he shaves. (Remember how that was a big deal back then. Yeah he was a shaver.) I creaked out a "Please don't eat me." And they laughed and let me through. The rest of the year the Seniors would see me and yell out, "Say something funny girl!" But I'm still not considered funny at all in my family. They're all way funnier. They think it's funny people think I'm funny.

6- I love TV. I acknowledge that my life is crazy enough and enjoy that in 30/60 minutes a group/family can find a problem and solve it. I know my life isn't like that and to tell you the truth. I'd love it to be. That and the background music. Man I'd love to really have background music for my life. I guess this blog is that for me. This DVR thing is the best thing ever.

7 - I'm afraid of the ball. Yeah. That's about all I want to say about it. Wait. Remember those No Fear shirts they had back in 93/94 ish? I saw a kid at school have one that said Fear Gear and it stated clearly that he was afraid of the ball. I need that shirt. I'm just afraid. They hurt hard.

7 people I tag and why I chose to tag them...

1 -Jen Hunsaker (Ya-Ya) - Now I don't think she'll actually do them. Not 'cuz she isn't super fab! But simply because she's too super fab. Two kids, house, winterizing, being martha, YW & choir superstar, and trying out for Food chan. next food star. That's right she rocks!Which she'll be mind you. But she's too busy but would be fun to know.

2 - Leah Grammer (Ya-Ya) - Uhm Hello! She married the sexiest Yeti in the world. Why not have her as a best friend? And she tells you your husband's hot. Oh and choose her to do this too.

3 - Ashley Zapien - You're so funny and I think you have a lot to say now with that FLASHY ring, coin purse, and "bag"! Hello! Oh and my son thinks you're "false advertisement".

4 - Brian - He's even more interesting than me. We'll see what quirkiness he'll allow the world to know. Knowing him it'll be in another language or 4 mixed together.

5 - Jen Kelley Betty - Who wouldn't want to hear from a girl with three names. You should see her smokin' hot husband ... Mr. Betty. Yeah he's cowboy hot enough to pull of Betty. Welcome home Josh. And Good luck shootin' tex.

6 - Lucy Heath - I only lived up the hill from you for a few months but it was long enough for me to want to be you. Now reading your blog I'm even more intimidated. She's so awesome. Babies, soldier, building her own house, blogging, scrapping, and she's nice to everyone too. She'll be one of the first ones that knows of the 2nd coming. Please let me know when it starts, k? Thanks

7- Sarah Galan - I know this girl has some good stuff. I only wish I would have had a video that 4th of July weekend with the Davis' in TX. Your final performance. I think we all peed our pants. Totally worth it though. Did you ever video that? I'd pay money to see it again.

Okay so I think everyone here will be good sports. And play along. BTW. This is my favorite way to play tag. Kissing Tag. Find your sweethearts and play today.

You gotta see this

Okay so I have one of the funniest friend. Right now you have to go see her blog. Has THE best pee-your-pants-video ever.

Yeah she's my friend. I know her. And better yet she knows me back.

Girls Night Out

Okay so I have these great friends that I play Bunco with. Bunco you say? What is this strange word? What kind of game is it. Well it's a high stakes game of chance and dice and mainly food. But if you're lucky. Really lucky you'll have great food. Like Elizabeth's ! Yeah we're all glad you came tonight. I've been "out of the loop" for a bunch of months due to Baby problems and it was really great to come back. I needed it. No I really REAAAAly needed it. Mer said I had the "glazed over" look. I was just so happy to be out having a great time.
Now I have to give a shout out to someone special. Someone who helped me realize that it's important to know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Ladies and Gentlemen do your checks this month. Most lumps are found this way and lots are found by your significant other. Interesting fact you say. I say it's true. Whether that other by your significant one or the cute one on the couch next to you doesn't really matter. Yes ladies and gentlemen ... it just needs to be done. So, thank you for helping your "friend in need" fulfill her check. I know we'll all rest better. Sara! Yoohoo. Somebodies watching you! I can't believe how white I am. I look like I'm glowing! Holy cow that's almost dangerous to look at. Turn your eyes away now so I don't harm any retina's ... seriously look away.
I know that people play game because they're fun but I have to say that I truly love the prizes. I mean they're really great! Man we had some great stuff this time. Bri was the hostess the mostest this time. From her super cute decor to the fun delicious food, even the theme she picked was super cute. It was a kitchen theme and all the things were way cute. I loved the food processor and the measuring cups and the candy dish, and the strainer and the bag with oil stuff, but obviously I loved the super cute red bowls and candle more. Pst. The bag was so way cute I've already got an idea of something to do with it for scrapbooking. Truthfully it's what put me over the edge to pick it. I collect pretty mixing bowls and don't have any red ones. Super thank you Chantell. You truly are a "shimmery and shiney". Now Merideth was really nervous about who was picking what but she was a trouper. Pushing through the anguish and all the nerves. She did come away with some of the best stuff too. I stopped looking at what others got after a while and enjoyed my Target bag. I have to say I really wanted the gift you gave too.I have to say a super special Mahalo to my mom. I finally went and left the babies at home. I did. Hard as it was I did. Not with just anyone mind you but with my mother. It's really tough getting a good babysitter to fly for 20 hours for bunco night. But hey. Don't knock it if it doesn't work for you. They were pretty good for her and I really feel great coming home and refreshed.


Good night and I love you N'SYNC.

Tiger Scouts

I think I have by far the cutest Tiger Scout in all the land. We've already done the fund raiser thing and this month we've learned all about farm animals. Watching all these first graders play charades of farm animals is down right hard. They're not quite sure what they're supposed to do. "Make the other boys guess what animal I am w/o making any sounds? Are you sure?" They said. We had owls and snakes but my favorite is that each and every time. (All 5 times) Brenner has been a pig. Now getting down on all fours and walking funny can be a lot of farm animals, but a pig is Brenner's favorite. Personally, I don't know how I would act out a sheep, cow, horse, llama, goat, or dog or anything with four legs that would act differently than stand on all four. But man o man these boys sure do think it's great to make the others not get their animal. Yelling and screaming all the animals they can think of all at once. And each time Brenner stands up as proud as a peacock and says. "Nope, I'm a pig." I think, "Come on guys. He's a pig."

He has passed off all of his requirements for his Bobcat and at the next pack meeting he'll be getting it. I want to say WE but he is really working hard for all of his awards. I'm so happy for him. We're also working with his buddy on Wednesdays to work on our at home patches and they are doing great. Tomorrow we head off to the Zoo for a huge group of Tiger Scouts. All of the Tigers over the entire island are invited. I think it's going to be really hard to find my little tiger in a sea of Tiger Scouts tomorrow. I need to think of something to hang on his hat to spot him. That or ... a line ... or a sticker. I don't really need to. Brenner's a really good kid and won't go far from me.

Our Halloween Joy

Some times we do things because we want to and other times because we've always done them and other times it's 'cuz our kid wants to have his house just as cool as his buddy's house and so ... dum dum dum ... I do the decorating. I know it's not much and it's by far not as cool as his buddy's house but it's something. I think it was fun to put up all the stuff for Halloween but I just don't like buying all the dead things to put in our yard and the blood is just too gross. I'm a Christmas decoration kind of person. But on the inside. I'm just not in the mood to do Halloween this year. So, outside we go with our two bags of cob webs and THE happiest little boy ever.
First we set up Beckett in a safe and shaded place. He liked watching all of us moving around from the comfort of his mobile swimming pool. He liked rolling and sliding all over and that he could reach over and grab at the grass. Now on the the cobwebs. We first put up our glow in the dark green cobweb in the front yard. He wanted the garage but sticky mom needs to go in and out of there and couldn't do it with the stroller through a web. We tugged and pulled and got webs all over the bench in front, the faucet, the windows and around the side of the house. Looking it over. Sizing up each area and then he found the best possible spot for his one and only prize spider. "Mom, this is the best place." I was so proud of him. I didn't want to do any of it. I put it off and put it off and here he was so blissfully happy with his one spider on this simple little cobweb. I'm in awe of this little man. Being happy with what little he has. It makes me want to give him the world but reminds me that he's learning to be happy with himself first and finding joy in the little things in life. And that's the greater joy.

In love

I'm so in love with these two little creatures. Some of the time they'll both stop long enough to play together or sit together. Brenner's wanted to be more of a help to me and wants "real" jobs. So he's now the baby sitter. When I'm cooking dinner and making a bottle for bedtime or loading the car he's in charge of entertaining him. But now that he's getting mobile he's moving all over.

One of the sweetest things I saw was Brenner playing with Beckett in the living room and Beckett fell backwards and hit his head hard. He started crying and Brenner quickly came over and loved on him and told him, "it's okay baby Beckett brother's here. I love you." A couple of days later it happened again and he did the same but this time Beckett reached for his brother to help him and held on to his neck. The next time it happened Brenner started to pick him up. Just holding him on his lap. He's so loving to his brother. I just love that Brenner got to get Beckett's first hug. He was in distress and knew his brother would love him okay again. I hope that through their whole lives they'll still feel this way. I know at certain stages it'll be deeper down than other times, but I know that because they feel this way now they'll always love each other. I always wanted someone for Brenner. Someone so he'd never be alone. Always have that sibling somewhere in this big big world that truly knows him and where he comes from.

So tonight I'm going to rock them one extra time to their baby songs and kiss them a little more and love them a little harder and ignore the laundry one more day. I'm in love with my boys and I'm glad their love is so natural it's "just" a part of them.


P.S. Brenner's song is Baby Mine by Alison Krause and Beckett's is Somewhere Over The Rainbow by IZ. With each of our babies I would sing a special song for each of them. I'm not a good singer in the least but I always wanted them to feel love from me. Besides, they don't know I'm no good at the singing.

Brenner's = We wanted him to feel special from the moment we were blessed with him and know that we wanted him so much. Beckett's = He was such a dream. We thought we would never get him and it would be such a long shot; and yet he's our other miracle. He's also our Hawaiian born baby. I sang these to them in my tummy and it still calms both of them. Brenner loves "His song" still.

Lemme Show ya som'em

I'm a little Beckett and I've got some great things I'm doing these days. First of all I've got these great little things in my mouth. Most of the time I'm hiding them with my tounge but mom always makes me laugh so much. She says they match my eyes. They sparkle sparkle sparkle I'm working at standing up all on my own. I also think that I can walk places. or at least get there all on my own. I just simply lean forward and away I go. I can get all over the bed and now I'm getting really good at getting all over the living room floor to all the things I shouldn't have . I love playing peek-a-boo with towels and blankets and especially my crib. I like to try and find brother best though. He runs around like crazy. I love trying to find him in the house. When we go grocery shopping he jumps and jumps and jumps. I love it. I laugh so hard at him. He also pushes me in my special stroller. It can take big kids for rides on the back too.
I just got a new bouncy thing to help mom clean up the room. I don't quite know what to think of it. Sometimes I like it but I get all twisted up in it. Very confusing some times. Now I saved the best for last. I have my very own pool. I take it right out into the front yard. I invited my friend Julisa over to play too. I wasn't to sure about it. Well, because normally when I get into the bath I have to go to bed right after that . I wasn't ready to go to bed and I was outside doing this. But I liked it. I thought it was great. Mom says it's really fun and we'll do it more when Brohter's at school and it's too hot in the house. Oh and she told me something funny too. She syas that this time of year everywhere else people aren't swimming anymore. That it's getting cold. I don't know what she's talking about. She's so funny.

Cruisin' for the ladies Er Mom

Holy cow! I can't believe how big the baby's getting. Huge. I'm still holding on to certain things that will keep him a baby. Like the cradle in our room. Okay so sure he techniquely isn't in it. Can't be because of weight limitations. Hasn't slept in it in months. Isn't under 10 lbs. Sleeping in his own crib fine. Oh and the fact that he's 7 months old and standing! Hello EmilieAn. I should take it down but I just can't do it yet. I will. I will. I just feel really guilty that I never took a picture of him in it once. Brenner and Beckett both slept in in for months and not one picture. I can remember where it was for Brenner in Monterey and for Beckett here in Oahu. Okay so the sappy portion of the blog is done.

While working in Beckett's room we were just going about our stuff while he was in his crib talking and entertainig himself. We look up and see him standing in the front and mom says. "I put him in the back by the wall." So we did it again and he fell and then pulled himself up and tried again. This is what we saw.



Now he's got teeth. Look how cute and big they are. Two half teeth equal one full whole cute tooth. My baby's got tooth.

Having a secret identity (bat baby) and saving the world between nap times and feedings. Oh and if he's got a clean diaper.

He is becoming a cereal eater. Not every day but everytime we eat something he is so interested. Not as interested as a peice of paper. That he'll go to town on.

Playing games of peek-a-boo with towels, hats, around pillows, walls, and now his crib. He's so proud of himself here. When he was offically done playing like this he took a quick nap. Not so much a long good one but that he fell asleep so fast it was shocking. Sore muscles when he woke up. He stretched and cried. So we started the baby massage time. He loves it.


I guess he's trying to tell me I'm growing up mom. Okay Beckett I hear you. I love you and want you to grow big and strong. But I'm going to enjoy every minute of you being little and tiny. It won't be long untill you're big like Brother.

Grrrrr Mom hard worker Grrrr

Dad's off and "playing" on the mainland. Here I am with all this work to do. Got my list in hand and away we go. First up is to get the safety gates up. Now I'll tell you he did do most of the work before he left. Yada yada yada. Measure, mark, measure, drill, affix, secure, and set up for me. But hey. I did have to tell him where to do it. "over there somewhere" were my exact words. So I pull in our safety gate and all I need to do is line up the marks and slide down. Sounds easy in theory, but, when you're not Mr. Kemper and don't have the muscle and leverage of a six foot man it isn't. I was grunting and gerrring trying to get this simple gate installed. I did get it installed but I think I pulled something on the second to last gerr. Or was it one of the gruntings? Not sure but I'm careful with either grunt or gerrr.

Off to item numero two. The crib. Beckett is now able to get himself to standing and is loving the idea of leaping out of our arms because he's found something either shiny, moving, brightly colored, brother, or small on the floor. So when he's at the crib we don't need him lunging forward and toppling over because of his huge noggin. Lets face it. Little babies are very top heavy. So here is a little before and after look. And yes it is easier for me to concentrate with my tongue out. I have tried it with it in and I have to admit. My work suffers. So out it goes. And yes Jen I still can't have anyone talk to me while counting and cooking. I'll mess that up still too. So you're right and it will always happen.

Sorry back on track. Next item. Fix vacuum. First off is vacuum just the weirdest word to spell ever? I hate spelling it. I'm not a good speller in the first place but still. It's weird right? Okay off the soap box. I pull out the screw drivers. Take off everything . Give it good taps, whacks, and shake it apart. Somehow get it together again and still not working but a little bit and then the red light turns on and says brush failure. all I can think of is that Dyson commercial with the squeaky toy vacuums and how I now have one. But I'm not about to let this thing win. It's war. My baby needs to have tummy time. He's laying on a dirty carpet. Mama bear steps in. Lifting the vacuum high in the air (four inches) to throw out the window I think I could trick it. So I keep my left hand on the on/off switch and the other the handle. I keep turning it on and off for about 3 seconds each time. It works. I go over our new rug

Who's got the toy vacuum now? ha h a ha . Okay so I do. But my boys are rolling around, playing, and practicing their flying on clean carpet. Thanks for the demonstration Beckett. You're form is great!

Now on to the iRobot. I had taken it apart (the way the instructions said to to clean it) and it wouldn't go back together. I tried for days and now after all that I had accomplished I felt i could harness the chi in me and make it work. Ta-Da! It worked. Only after 16 tries and turn upside down and ask two neighbors that have one too. The neighbor that would know just got her husband back home from a 15 mo deployment the day before and I couldn't ask her to help me put my robot back together. One more try, I told myself. Five more and I'm still one-more-try-ing it. Then wham. It works.

The rest of my list isn't nearly as thrilling as these were but most got done also. So all in all it was a good and PRODUCTIVE day.

Random things

Squeals of delight come from Beckett any time brother is around. These two play so well together. Nana made him the neatest little body pillow. It's kind of a long skinny pillow but for him it's a baby body pillow. Super cute. Well he just goes nuts over it. And under it. And chewing on it. Brenner was playing real life Nintendo DS light with him and he just loved it.



Oh and I finally found the best video ever. Brenner's class sang Happy Birthday to him. That's not the cool part. The best part is that before singing his teacher just whips out the classroom Ukelele and begins strumming the tune. Now the bell tolls but you can see why sometimes it's pretty cool to live on the island. Thanx for having a birthday Brenner so we could see this.


Brian's garden is doing it's best to survive without him. I am not that good at it and didn't really want the extra added responsibility. I know it's just a few plants how hard could it be right? Wrong. I have only seen a few buds growing and not one single vegetable has become of them. Then the cucumbers and squash start dieing. They have some sort of icky creapy tiny bug climbing all over the leaves and eating them. And yes that is their technical term - icky creapy tiny bug. Now I'm growing ginourmous killer tomatoe plants. Look closely at the hight of the fence. Now study the top of the tomatoes. Something's messed up. So in my grand efforts to show my husband my love for him. (Especially while he's on the mainland.) I head out with Q-Tip in hand to pollonate the vegies. I did just like the bees would do. Jumping from blossom to blossom and back again. However I did not buzz around. So if there are no vegies starting to grow in two weeks I'll go out and try it again buzzing. Or maybe I need a nome? I don't know but hopefully I'll grow something. Either way I've got some great oxygen makers in the back yard.

Brenner's newest roommate came to town the other day. He wakes up in the morning and leans way over the side of his bed and poof. "There's a Nana in my bed!" Now we have the happiest little boy on the block. So we've been a little busy. Sorry I haven't posted in a while.

Sunday was a big day for us. Brenner gave is first talk. He thought about it and wrote it himself. I was his scribe, so he could just talk what he wanted to say, and then read it again. He put on his best Sunday clothes and slicked his hair back. What a handsome fellow! He did great. When we got to church he was wondering why he was sitting with us. He thought he had to give his talk in Sacrament meeting instead of the children's Primary. He did awesome. Beckett fell right before he went on and he wasn't even embarrassed by all of his very loud crying. He was so happy and excited to give his talk. I hope you love it as much as I do. Sorry about the shakiness; I'm holding Beckett at the same time trying to keep him from grabbing the camera.

Beckett's teeth are really here. Cute as a button. I'm still nursing and we haven't had any issues with the new teeth. We've had some talks about it but lucky for me we're still focused on the food instead of the teeth at this point. We'll see what happens when there are teeth on the top to touch the teeth on the bottom. I may be crying to a different tune.



Brenner found and bought this for his little brother. Never too soon to train your brother for a life of servitude for the greater good. Gotham has never been safer. Brenner said that Beckett could be his side kick any day. Beckett left it on for about 10 minutes. Since he's got these enormous eyelashes and the mask didn't touch them at all he didn't mind it a bit. I think he looks pretty intimidating. Evil Elmo beware! KAPOW!


We are officially thinking about crawling. This is the cutes attempt I've ever seen. I'm sorry but I'm going to say this. I'm glad that Brian's not home right now. Not that he's not here but because he's not here I'm videoing so much more and recording it and started this blog. I never would have captured all of these things. I don't have Brenner's firsts of a lot of things on video. I'm also learning that each day has a lot of fun and excitement in it. Even if all we do is clean the house. And I think Brian will agree that it is nice being able to have this so that he can really feel like he's at home.

Brenner's all of our favorite chanel to watch.

It's amazing that are no batteries included in the boy. Beckett's favorite toy is his brother. When it's time for naps I have to send him away. Beckett hears him once and nap time is history. He looks and looks for brother to entertain him. Nursing him is painful for me when Brenner is around. Beckett tries to take his meal on the go. As he is still needing to watch brother at all times. Here are some very excellent examples.




And also one fine example of a wonderful Dad. Some big tough dad's do the tea parties. Brenner's dad does the dance off competition with him. In his defense this was just days after High School Musical 2 came out and we were so into it all.



We are not at all excited nor wanting anything in his mouth that would be food. As you can see he is really not happy with it.

Half way to deployment

Alright if you're an Army wife you'll understand this joke. The title that is. I had a "situational problem" with the car. But no one is sick and the washer is still working.

we're trying to get anywhere and it's the wrestle
Today we were on our way to the post office. Cue the music for the Start of Wrestle Match 8000. AKA get Beckett into the carseat, the boy into his shoes without laces flailing behind him and having gone to the bathroom while still remembering the two things to carry to the car. Amidst all of this the keys got locked in the car. Luckily no one, meaning Beckett, was inside the black hot car in the sun. Back inside we go. Beckett's call from the Governor comes in and he's let out of the car seat. He gives me this look like "Heh! Knew I'd get outta this one." I'm looking for the spare key and WHAP! Water all over the floor. Lesson 1. Beckett has a reach of more than 10 inches. Lesson 2. Beckett likes to swat at things. Lesson 3. Beckett thinks it's funny to see mommy squeal. Laughed and laughed. Lesson 4. When asking 6 year olds to get a towel for you tell them why so they don't walk through the invisible water on the floor in their socks and say "sorry mom." This is the "Learn something everyday" thing for me today. I wonder if everybody else's was just as interesting as mine? Hmm.

At that point I caved and put the baby to bed and the brother at the TV. The lock smith was now on his way from Honolulu. Guess there are no lock smith's near the northern end of the island. We thought you would enjoy seeing the ease it took this man to pop open our door. Brenner took the pictures as soon as he was there and clicked away and in 90 seconds he was done. I was still filling out my address and he was done. Mind you I was holding Beckett at the time but still it was really fast. We actually asked him to stand by the car for a posed photo op of him working on the car.

So now that the car has had it's problem we now turn our sights on the major appliances to break or a major cold/flu to wash over us. I'm putting my money on the sick.

Big news on the Beckett mobility report. As you can see we are now officially nosy enough to be
needing to go somewhere. We are liking the forward way of travel. He's pretty tough though. Tucks his head in a little bit extra right before he hits the floor before he wacks it. Not even a cry. Now, when the nose is struck we cry real hard. His ticked off cry in fact. So it's to his great advantage that his nose is tucked in closer than his forehead. Brenner thinks he's really brave for not crying. Told him, "Dude, Beckett, you're super tuff for not cryin'. " Beckett got his first tuff guy props from bro tonight. Clap for Beckett.

Your Simply the Best

Okay so I have the absolute best boys ever. They are totally in love with each other. Some of these reasons you're going to think that I've made up. But no. I have not. These are all true and the most heart felt genuine pure love I've ever seen. Should we start with the beginning? Yeah why not.

PRAYERS. Brenner has been praying for a sibling for years. Literally years. We lived in ID when he was 2 and he prayed about twice a week then. Move to NY and about the same until we were past Christmas and we moved up to three to four a week. They were the cutest. Heavenly Father please send me a sister/brother to play with. Please bless us with a sister to love. I want to be a big brother. That's when he decided upon a sister. He said he wanted a sister to take care of and love. With all the miscarriages he knew that the babies were coming and prayed that they would stay with us and would cry that they went to heaven before he could see them. So pregnant with Beckett he would pray every prayer that baby would grow safe and that mom would be safe too. He never complained about helping with anything or not being able to be picked up by me.

INTRODUCTION. In the recovery room I was holding Brother and he and Nana came in. Brian was holding Brenner when he first saw him. His eyes lit up and he covered his mouth and said. "He's here. Oh he's so precious." Then throughout the next two hours I heard these wonderful things from him. "Is he really okay?" "Can he really stay?" "I'm your brother. I'm Brenner. I love you." "He's so tiny." " I love you so much." "Thank you mommy." That was the best moment baring Beckett's first cry. Seeing him hold Beckett was amazing. Brothers. I finally saw brothers. His prayer was answered.

skip ahead to now.

AFTER SCHOOL. Every day after school, in kindergarten, he would read to him. Practicing without anyone critiquing him. He just loved showing him everything he does. "Brother do you want to see how I wash my hands after school" "This is how we get ready for (fill in the blank for everything he does)."

BED TIME. They both get into bath and showers at the same time. He is talking to Beckett the whole time to see at what part of the bath Beckett's at. "Are you washing your feet yet? Is it play time now? Are you wrinkly yet?" Then as they get jammas on and Brenner sits with Beckett and reads to him. Brenner's room is a Beckett free zone. For safety reasons. Brenner's Legos and small toys are only to be played in there. So, Beckett sits in his little chair at the door and Brenner reads scriptures to him. Showing him the pictures and explaining what's happening. When he cries he'll help him with a Binky or tell him he's not allowed to get out of his chair. He hugs him and tells him he loves him so much.

PAYBACK. The other night when I held Beckett down towards Brenner to have Brenner give Beckett a hug and kiss goodnight Beckett reached out and hugged Brenner so tight around the neck he wouldn't let go. Brenner was so happy that he was loved back by Beckett. Beckett loves it. Now he keeps reaching for his brother to love on him.

I've never been so in love with these little boys in my life. I'm so please to see that all those years of wanting a little brother/sister he finally got one and is totally in love with having one.

Line for Disgruntled Tenant forms here

Little did I know this morning I was managing the counter for the Disgruntled Tenant counter. I've been looking at this most of the day. Lets begin the list of major complaints.

1. No gum before lunch.
2. No video games in the morning.
3. No grabbing poop .
4. No putting said poop in mouth.
5. No spearing your brother.
6. No eating brother's sword.
7. No clawing brother's face.
8. No flinging body out of arms.
9. No wearing full Captian Jack Sparrow gear to the commissary.
10. Naps are non negotiables
11. Love and kisses to everyone after any fight ... even the little one.
12. The cereal doesn't have enough sugar on it.
After going over the rules again I got this look from Brenner and this exact reaction from Beckett after flinging himself on the ground. Nice.

I asked Brenner to baby sit Beckett so I could jump into a 5 minute shower. He is six years old and they normally play in the living room while I get dinner started so I thought it should be okay. I asked Brenner how it went and he said it was really hard. There's a lot to do to keep a baby happy. "Mom Beckett has head ick powers too. I have to go lay down. My head hurts."


Our super Ta Da moment of the day is brought to you by Beckett. My little baby who is evidently showing me that he's now becoming a big boy shows us that some things you just teach yourself. I'm so glad I was there to see it the first time. Now he's also on all fours and low crawling to something else he can grab and pull up. Seven months old. Yeah BECKETT!!

Aargh isn't just for piarates

"Hello there. Can I help you? These are all my toys. They all taste very good. Some allow slobber to roll down and some soak up the slobber. Take your pick. But just stay away from the duckie." Beckett's greeting for the day.

I turned around for a second and saw him get up on all fours and then back to the sitting. I tried to get it again but he's too quick. This is pretty cute too. He's really becoming his own little person. Just listen to him tell you all about it.


Today we were quite content playing in his satchel of toys. A good twenty minutes. I didn't really make good use of the time today. But you better believe I'll be doing this again. He's toppled over a couple of times pretty hard and he's not fussed too much. I remember Brenner having this really solid head. Run into things all the time. Can't remember if he started out with it solid or it got solid from all the bumps along the way and evolved that way as a survival technique. Could be genetic. It's not that hard to think it could be from my hard-headedness. (Is that even a real word? IS now.) Anywho; he's reaching for things like Legos, and Crayons, and dirty brother feet, and dirt. This is when we really got the reaching and grabbing down. He's almost got a whole sit-up now. He'll be mobile in days.

I came downstairs a little did I know I'd been shivered me timbers. Captain Jack Sparrow had come for his bootie. He's such a character.

So as the day went on we just got more and more rambuntious. I think it's Dad being gone, General Conference, staying in the house, sugar, no school for a whole week, and being 6 years old that is making our house a zoo. Or at least a pirates deserted island. So next time you Yo-Ho-Ho head on over our way.

Church isn't on a Bed!

Okay so today started our General Conference for our church and that means we don't have to go to church on Sunday but that we add 6 extra hours to our churching weekend. Sounds like a good trade huh? Well you can watch while you eat and stay in your 'jammas. I think it's awesome. I was trying to tell Brenner all about it and why we were watching "some old guys in suits" on TV. So I had them all on my favorite place in the world. My bed....our bed...the family bed. He wasn't understanding it so I finally had to tell him that this is important. This is church. Then out of the mouths of babes, "Church isn't on a bed!" I couldn't stop laughing. He was so mad he was almost in tears. Poor guy thought I was lieing to him. I guess he understood that going to church every Sunday of his life meant that church was at a church. Good call Brenner! Point for Brenner and Triple points for parents. (For taking to church enough that he noticed it wasn't on a bed.)

"Beckett's got headick power mom. He's hurting my head." Brenner said after I asked him to watch Beckett while I made dinner.

To Brian:
Well the babes are fast asleep and I just thought you might like to tuck them in. Sleep tight. We miss you and wish you were here for crepes.