One Year - Check!!

Time has gone by quick! Our little man has turned ONE already! Not having an oven at our little apartment meant we needed to make friends who did have one so he could enjoy his first cake. : ) Here in Hawaii the first birthday is the a huge celebration because before modern medicine they lost most of thier babies within the first year. If a baby made it to the first year that most likely meant they would have a long life. We joked with people everywhere we went who asked how old Brennan was that we needed friends to have a big party when he turned one and they all said they would be there!!! One lady at Costco said I have 6 kids and they would be happy to attend!

Regardless, it was an intimate group but a fun one. Here are pictures of his cake and him eating his own little portion.

If you can't tell what it is (no hurt feelings :( ), it is a shovel on the beach. He has two of them, a yellow and a blue one, and that's all he plays with even though there are few other toys we always take.

"Are you sure this is okay?"

"You didn't stop me so I am going in for more!"

He loved every minute of it, but that night trying to get him to bed made for some not so lovable moments. It was worth it though now that I look back at the pictures and see his enjoyment!

Memorial Day

We had the amazing opportunity to spend the weekend with our friends Tyler and Lauren. On Saturday we wanted to go to a new beach so we headed over to the North Shore area to find a spot. We didn't leave early enough to get the one we wanted before all the parking was taken so we ventured on farther. We ended up finding a fun spot in Haleiwa!!!



Before Taylor built Brennan a sand pool!



After a wave added sand to his pool.



This was the first time Brennan was able to use his birthday gift from Papa and Gigi (the yellow floaty)!!!!!!! Tyler is Brennan's new favorite (if you can't tell). When we go places together, people always think he is Brennan's dad because he has him most of the time and he has cool blue eyes.



An unexpected wave!!! Tyler to the rescue!

Lauren was taking the pictures, but we will get her in one so you can know who Tyler's other half is. She is just as amazing and fun!

That night we went on a double date to see what we thought was going to be Iron Man II. Here in there is a 2 screen theatre so the movies move in and out quick! It had already left and Prince of Persia took it's spot. Needless to say that is what we watched instead. Taylor was way bummed but once the movie started he got over it because that one was great!

Then on Monday it was another beach day, but this time we went to our usual, Hukilau. We didn't take a camera as we usually don't, sorry. We weren't there 5 minutes before we spotted about other couples from our ward, enjoying the day off of school and before finals started. That night it was attempted #2 at Iron Man II. Thank goodness we have a lot of newlywed couple that just adore the little man (aka Brennan) so we could go out again. This time we had to travel to a bigger city : ) I am happy to report we had . . . SUCCESS!

New Adventures

The day we got to Hawaii we saw the posters for the World Championship Fireknife May 12-15th. The best part is now that we are residence of Hawaii ,we can get year passes to the Polynesian Cultral Center (PCC), where it was to take place, and not have to pay. There are alot of perks to this pass so if you are ever here let us know and we can work something out : ) Since it was the championship round there are the top three. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!!!



Tahitian


Samoan


2009 Reigning Champion!!! Hawaiian



The winner of the 2010 Fireknife World Championship!! Since he has back to back wins he is not allowed to compete this next year, as a rule that was established when the competition began.

Our Entertainer

This was Brennan on our Circle Island Tour before school started. All of the other students on our bus thought he was the coolest kid and wanted to take a million pic to send to their family. They said they were going to put the one of him in the hat in the school newspaper. He loved the attention and never let out a single cry, he just went to sleep because he was so tired. It's takes a lot of energy to be the star I guess!

Everyone at church loves the fact that he is in a tie already. Their favorite is the one I made for Easter that matches his dad and papa (Hawaiian print). He also loves to help the grounds grew at school with the quality of dirt they use!

We take Taylor lunch on the days he has class, but as you can see the hot concrete doesn't seem to stop him any. I try to keep him on the grass but he loves to chase the birds and follow all the girls out of class. He wants to see all of you so bad he put himself in a box (I was working out I promise I didn't put him there!), but discovered he needed the Large Flat Rate instead.

He likes the all tile floor (except when he falls or throws a fit) that we have in our house because he can go where ever he wants. He is getting so good he can turn and go back the other way. We are hoping this will encourage him to take steps on his own, but no luck yet. He explains it all to you at the end so make sure you have the sound on!

There haven't been too many hot hot days but this is one, as you can tell by where he ends up.

Long yet Short

It has been a long time since I have posted anything and now our life is running 3 hours behind! The time has finally arrived and Taylor is in school at BYU-Hawaii!!!! After many date switching for one reason or another we have been blessed to be able to move on to new adventures!!!!

Before school started on the 19th we had a few weeks free to enjoy ourselves in Arizona and a rental car in Hawaii.

The first slide show is Easter with my family in Flagstaff. We were able to leave my car with my sister which meant we drove from Seattle to Flagstaff!!!! (23 hours) Never having traveled with Brennan before we decided to leave when he went to bad for the night. It was wonderful until we hit Utah that morning and it began to snow. We spend some time with Taylor's cousin's family before making our way to our resting point, Mama Ririe's house (family friends from Flagstaff). Taylor slept as Brennan and I played and chatted. Meanwhile it had stopped snowing! After Taylor woke up we decided to leave before it got dark instead of waiting until Brennan's bedtime again. It all started great but as we got farther and farther down the road the thicker and thicker the snow. I began to notice that we could had no headlights and that is why it was so much easier to see when another car would approach. It came to the point that we were the only non SUV or Semi on the road. There was a sign that said 3 miles to Beaver and Taylor began to chant 3 miles, 3 miles, 3 miles, 2 1/2 miles . . . We tired all the hotels in the area and there was only smoking rooms available. Then we noticed in the gas station there was a Hotel check in, so we hurried over. There was one last room!!!!!! The worker told us that half of the rooms had never been occupied because it was so new, YEAH for us!!!!!!!! The next morning we continued on to Flag with clear skies and road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While there, we enjoyed meeting the other 2 cousins born last year (5 total), 2 eggs hunts, family dinner with everyone but Ann and Tyrell (miss you guys!!!!! come visit Hawaii!!!!), coupon shopping with Sara, FHE with Scott's family, Grandpa and Grandma Skinner's early 1st birthday present to Brennan, dinner and games with Brian's family, the Aquaplex, staying with Sara's family and Brad's bedroom!!!!!!!!!!

We then returned to Washington via air (no snow!!!), packed all our belongings in storage or suitcases and headed for Hawaii all within 4 days!

The second slide show is of Hawaii. We decided to rent a car for 6 days before school started so that we could go place we might not get to otherwise, with no car. The first day we had to upgrade to a bigger car to make sure we fit all of out stuff in it from the airport to our new place. We ended up getting a 2010 Chevy Tahoe with only 1400 miles on it!!! It was so nice we were tempted to keep it for the full time but decided it wasn't worth the extra money per day!!! We returned it for a Nissan Pathfinder. This took a good portion of the day because where we live is at least an hour to the airport (the only rental car place on the island) so we stopped by the Dole Plantation on our way there. We wanted to take the scenic route home so we drove along the water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was beautiful which made it okay that there was traffic so we could enjoy longer! The next day we moved into our new place (the land lord got the days mixed up of when the other couple was moving out so she put us up in a vacation suite she has at her house for two days) walked around school and went to the beach. We were going to go to Pearl Harbor but while at school we found Taylor needed to get a few things done before school started so we stayed at school to get them done. In doing so we found out the do what they call a Circle Island Tour (Valley of the temples, Pali look out, Swap Meet and Aloha Stadium, Pearl Harbor, Walmart and Shaved Ice) for all new students for $10a person. Those were most of the places we wanted to go to went for much cheaper and with people that know history of the island to acquaint us better. Then on Sunday we were introduced to our new ward and began making friends!!!!! School started Monday and after class we took the car back which meant we had to ride the city bus back (a new experience for both of us). Lots of questions were asked and we made our way back, thanks to very friendly people we have run into everywhere!

Taylor has his work cut out for him this term but has a schedule he has stuck to for the first week! We celebrated this accomplishment with some Oreo's and he had a Dr. Pepper with dinner (I have been helping him to eat better and he did all week!!!). Brennan and I have been taking walks, watching softball games, going to the beach and trying to put our boxes of stuff away.

I am going to try to update more often so they aren't this painfully long! We have been extremely blessed in the last little bit and need to share!!!!!!!!!

Digital scrapbook customized with Smilebox

This free digital scrapbooking design customized with Smilebox

Saturday Outing!

Week after week we have wanted to go with some friends of ours on an adventure to Bainbridge Island (30 min ferry ride from Seattle), but either their girls were sick or the weather was not cooperative. FINALLY, it happened Saturday!!!!!! Taylor didn't have to work (his first day off since he got hired, we love those samples) and we couldn't have asked for more perfect weather (in February) so off we went.

We were blessed for waiting because our friends had just purchased a van so we all could fit in one car so we didn't have to pay for two cars! Also, we found out our friend's family sill lives there so she knows the area (no need to look up things to do).

We had lunch on the ferry so when we got to land we could play!!! The park was our first stop! Brennan loves the swings and sad to report the swings had been taken out of this park so he settled for the slide and monkey bars (with Taylor's help of course). He was okay with out the swings because that meant he could try something new!
Then we walked down to the water to throw rocks and listen to the waves! Then it was back to the park to play tag.

Then it was off to look at all the fun little shops and grab a bit to eat. After looking for a bit, we found a place on the water, and man was it yummmmmmmy! Brennan loved the bread as well as dad's veggies and to top him off he had some clam chowder. Taylor tried the crab cakes and I ordered a salmon linguine!!!!

We finished off the trip with the ferry ride back to Seattle just as it started to sprinkle and got dark!

Hawaii here we come!!!!!

As most of you know, Taylor has decided to go to school full time and finish his bachelors degree. After weighing out the pros and cons, we decided it would be best for our little family if he attended BYU - Hawaii!!!!

We were going to go in January, but then in an interview he was asked to stay here (Washington) and work until June. Well, they didn't keep their end of the deal and let him go in January. So luckily they have a term that begins in April! That means we have 2 months to organize everything for school, housing, cars, ... but WE ARE GOING TO HAWAII!!!!!!! See you there!