preschool

Finally, (I'm more than a bit behind) here are Meritt's first day of preschool pictures. Pretty cute if you ask me! :) So, preschool started out a little rough, but with love and patience, it is going MUCH better now. today we started week #3 of preschool, tonight we get to go visit school, for open house and dinner, and Rosie is soooooooo excited to show her school off! I still can't believe she is so big, but do have to admit my 2 hours of kid free time today (my first alone today) is pretty great! Just to have a little silence, peace, and me time, feels like a total gift! Cheers to preschool!

days 4, 5, 6, & 7...

Days 4 and 5 in Maui were spent by me spending alot of time in the bathroom or over a trash can getting REALLY sick. Unfortunately I either got a rather bad virus, or some nasty food poisoning. Day four was just about getting sick. Day five was just about sleeping if off... (seriously I slept like 18 hours that day) My pour husband was a total trooper, and a sweetheart taking care of me. He even dined out alone, because even the mere smell of food made me sick.

Luckily by day six I was feeling better, so we spent the day hanging at the beach. I spent the day lounging on a chair by the ocean sipping Gatorade to re-hydrate, and Matt spent the day in the ocean discovering he loves to snorkel.

Day seven, we were headed home. We checked out of our hotel, ate a farewell breakfast at our favorite little spot, got some vacation photos printed at Costco for Bella before the airport, and then it was to the airport, and up in the sky to home we go (went).

And even though two of the days really stunk. The rest of our trip was really amazing. One I will never forget!

Thank you honey, for such an awesome trip! And thank you Grandma 'D' and Grammy and Papa for babysitting so we could go have some alone time! Your the best. XOXO

day three on Maui...

Day three of our trip on Maui, just so happened to be our 10th wedding anniversary. We contemplated what we wanted to do on our day, and after some thinking we thought we wanted to do something we would really remember (rather than just a day being lazy at the beach). Two and a half years ago when we visited Maui, we came across a restaurant called Pacific'O. We fell in love. It was the most amazing food, in the most amazing setting. We became regulars during our visit, and got to know the wait staff pretty well. After visiting with them we found out that they are the only restaurant on the island that has a farm that is dedicated only to growing food for them and their other restaurant I'o. Not only do they farm almost all of their foods, they are also grow all of their foods organically, and sustainably. Really cool! Anyway, we found out that they do tours of their farm. Unfortunately that trip we didn't have enough time to go, but we knew if we ever visited again that we would really love to visit their farm. So, this time we did! We spent the morning of our anniversary touring their lovely 8 acre farm where they grow their own coffee, stone and tropical fruits, and many many veggies! After the tour, we enjoyed a terrific lunch prepared by the farm's on chef. It was delicious, and so much fun!

Later that day, we did get to spend some lazy time on the beach, swimming, and sunbathing. After we were done loafing on the beach, we enjoyed a romantic dinner at our favorite restaurant EVER... Pacific'O. If you are ever in Maui, GO! I can't stress to you how wonderful it is! So, that was day three of our trip, it will definitely be remembered always! For more info check out their websites... HERE

day one and two on Maui...

I'm home! (technically we're home, and technically we got home Monday at about 11:30pm - details, smeetails) Anywho, I'm finally getting back to normal since I've been gone. Alot of stuff piles up to do when you're gone for a week and unplugged from the world. But, oh how I recommend it! Unplugging, surrounding yourself in a beautiful place with someone you love, is good for ones soul!!!

We had a GREAT time (except for an encounter I had with a 48 hour food poisoning, but even so, it was an amazing trip!) These are photos from our first two days on Maui. We stepped off the air plane, got our rental car, and headed down the 50 mile road to Hana. For those of you that aren't familiar with Maui, the road to Hana is a very narrow, winding road, with 50+ one-way bridges, that basically takes you up one side of the mountain/island. The fifty mile drive takes somewhere between two and a half and three and a half hours depending on how fast/slow you go. It is breath taking.... you wouldn't want to go any faster in fear you would miss something. I highly recommend it, if you are ever in Maui! It will from now on be on our MUST DO list whenever we visit the island, and we will visit again!

The first night we stayed at the only hotel in Hana, and woke up bright and early to take a 4 mile hike up the Pipiwai trail It was AMAZING... by far the best thing we did our whole 7 day visit to the island. It was a rigorous trail, but breathtaking. It wound up the mountain through the rain forest, and bamboo forests, through streams and waterfalls to the very top where you come to the amazing Waimoku Falls free-falling 400 feet over a cliff of black lava rock. Probably the coolest thing I have ever done. I actually cried twice. Not from the pain of the hike, or the hurt in my lungs from the 1600 foot elevation, but from the wonder of it all. Matt and I got up so early to hike, that we never saw another soul the whole way up the mountain. Just him and I on this amazing adventure through Gods lush creation. Pictures don't do it justice, but at least it shows you a little!

I'm glad to be home!

off to paradise...

Sorry, blog, I have been neglecting you. I hope you forgive me, because I will be keeping it up for about a week, while I go to visit my happy place. I had all kinds of intentions of making posts about the beginnings of school, preschool pictures, a note to my mama for her Birthday, and a celebration tribute to my honey for our 10 year anniversary. But, sadly the realities of life have left me no time to do so... So, for now, I say Aloha, (that means hello and goodbye you know!) I'll be back, and when I am, we'll catch up, on all the things I've missed. Until then, Happy week blog land, Happy Birthday Mama, Hugs and Kisses to my Belly and Rosebud, see you all real soon!

and so it begins...

I have been doing a lot of praying lately that the first day of preschool would go well. That God would make it a seamless transition for Meritt and for me. Thankfully I think my prayers were answered. Today was our first day, (orientation) Monday marks the first official day of school. Meritt did well! She was slightly clingy in the beginning, but, was okay with her daddy and I leaving her in her class with her teachers Ms. Linda and Ms. Amber while we went and sat with the other parents at our own 'orientation'. By the time we got back to get her she was covered in crusty play dough, and playing nicely on the floor with another little boy. I sat back for a bit watching, until she noticed me, and ran joyfully up exclaiming "Mommy! I had FUN!"


Thank you Jesus, you are good!

Part of my nervousness has come from how she has reacted before to being left, but mostly because Matt and I are leaving Tuesday for seven days to celebrate our anniversary in Maui. While I am thrilled to go, getaway, and share some alone time with my honey. I didn't want to leave my mother in law (Grammy 'D') with her hands full with a unhappy kiddo situation. So far it looks like it's going to be smooth sailing, I'm just going to keep praying that it stays that way!

(I will post some preschool shots later, left my camera at my mom's this morning)

feeling pretty crabby...

So, I had a pretty bumpy start to my morning. Which wasn't so good for me, but I thought might make you chuckle... possibly even just for the mear mental picture.

So, the morning was going fairly normally, we're back to our school routine. Getting up, getting everyone ready, dressed, hair combed, teeth brushed, breakfast eaten, lunches packed, so on and so forth. Matt left for work first, the girls and I leave to take Bella to school about 5 minutes after. When we go out to load up in the car to drive to school, Bella says, Oh NO mom, dad has my booster seat. Ahhhhhh. Okay, I'll call and see if he can swing back or see if Papa can bring us their seat real quick. PROBLEM. Cell phone not working. No service. WHAT? It's not as if we live in the sticks. Time is going by, still no phone working, it's too late to walk, and wet, and cold, and we are not dressed for it even if we ran. Ok, so I put the girls in the car (Bella sitting buckled without a booster :( ) We drive the back way 4 blocks, slow to mom and dad's to get a seat. I don't dare to drive to school without a seat, there are always alot of police around. I leave the car running, run through their sprinklers to get to the door. Ring the door bell... NOTHING. Knock... NOTHING. Run back through the sprinklers to get my keys. About this time, Dad opens the door in his robe half asleep. I run through the house to grab his keys muttering all my bad luck, he is confused, by the blur of crazy woman running by him. I go back through the sprinklers to get the seat from their van, can't get the slider door to open, go around back through the sprinklers to the drivers door, climb through grab the seat. Then go back through the sprinklers to put Bella's seat in so we can go to school. Chuck the keys at dad. Get back in the car, I am now SOAKING wet from the thighs down, Uggs and all. We get to school with three minutes to spare. Whooooooooooo. Not a great way to start the day. Feeling a little bit crabby. I hope the rest of the day is better than the morning, cause if not, it's gonna be one, wet, and crazy day! It's a little past nine in the morning, and I need a nap.

my little Buddy...

It's good to have friends!
Especially soft and fluffy ones.
Ones that love you whenever, wherever, and however you want.
He's pretty easy to love.
I'm sure you can see why!
It's the whiskers I'm sure of it!
(It's gonna be hard to keep this friend an outdoor cat. He seems to like to cuddle in bed! :)- oh heck what's one more?)

first day of second grade...

feeling a little sentimental tonight...

My girls are all tucked in and fast asleep. Matt is sleeping soundly next to me. As I lie here tonight thinking about tomorrow, the week ahead, and the days to come, I am feeling a bit sentimental. Maybe for a bunch of reasons...

The first of which is because tomorrow I will be taking my sweet Bella to the first day of her second grade year. When approaching big milestone days like this, I always have this feeling of disbelief wash over me. How can it be? Where has the time gone? Most of all I get this warm fuzzy feeling of love and thankfulness when I think about Bella. She is such a wonderful, sweet, warm, little girl. She is truly one of my most favorite people on earth, and when I think of her in this warm light, the disbelief fades into pure joy that she is mine. I have had the pleasure of enjoying two and a half months at home with her by my side, enjoying days filled with simple, good, pleasures. In these moments of gratefulness, I see God's love, his hand, and his delight casting down on our lives.

The second of which is because on Friday, I will be taking my baby, my little Meritt Rose to her very first day of Preschool. Wow. The baby days at our house are officially over. Any final pieces that I may have been holding onto are now fading away into the next chapter of her story. While my arms are emptier without any babies to feed or rock, my heart is full. Possibly more full than it has ever been.

Last, but most definitely not least, I have been thinking alot about what my marriage means to me lately. The sixteenth of this month marks Matt and my 10th wedding anniversary. Wow. Again. We were two young kids, who knew nothing. NOTHING... except for the fact that we were madly in love with the other, and that we had to be together, forever. Despite all the warnings of people much older than we were, despite the lack of money, the lack of insurance, the lack of material things or even direction. We just knew that when we were together anything was possible. We knew that we wanted to be right in the world, and the only way to do that was to be joined forever, as a family, the two of us, in front of God, our families, and everyone we loved. So we did. That was the beginning of our amazing adventure of life, side by side, and hand in hand. The last ten years haven't been perfect. I don't think I would have wanted them to be. There have been highs and lows, and days in between. But, still after all these years, when I quiet myself, and all the things around myself, I know without a doubt that he's the one for me. Perfectly designed just for me. Yep, we're imperfectly perfect matches for each other! God is good that way isn't he?!

So with all of these things twirling around me inside, and out, I just can't help but feel a little sentimental, thinking about all that has been, and all that is yet to come! It's gonna be a great week, heck let's go for a great month! :+)

Summer's Ending Road (three years later)...

Three years ago (almost to date) I started Bella's Little Rose, with a post called 'Summer's Ending Road' at that time Meritt was 6 months old, and Bella was a little more than 4. Bella was about to begin her second year at preschool, I hadn't even started a baby book for Meritt, and time was flying by me way too fast. So, I decided to start a blog. A place I could capture those memories, pictures, thoughts, and funny little things that were happening in our lives. Here we are almost 3 years later, and my six month old is now 3 and a half, about to start her very first year of preschool, and my four year old is seven, (going on seventeen) about to embark on second grade. Whoa, how did that happen??? Where does all the time go? They will be grown before I blink my eyes...

We are now coming to another Summer's Ending Road. This Summer that I have gotten to spend with my girls has been priceless. I have loved every (well almost every) moment of being at home with them. I have enjoyed the walks, the talks, the playing, the reading, the adventures, and even all the other stuff in between. I will never again have a 3 1/2 and 7 year old.

We are soaking up the last few days of our Summer together. Just a few more days and we'll be back to school, back to our routines, homework, play dates, and work for me. I hope that when my girls look back at their childhood memories, they remember these sweet days that we've spent, doing nothing important, but everything that means something. I know when I look back, that's what I'll remember!

our own little pepe...

Do you remember the cartoon Pepe LaPue? Do you remember how Pepe was in love with Penelope, but Penelope doesn't want anything to do with Pepe... This of course just makes Pepe want Penelope more. Well, my friends I am living in our very own version of that cartoon in my house. Our new little kitten Buddy, seems to be one very smitten kitten with our old (used to being an only cat) AddieKat. Every chance Buddy gets he is sneaking in the house to find Kat, to make her love him. She DOES NOT. He chases her all over the house, cornering her only to get hissed and growled at. This doesn't seem to slow him down for long... If he could speak, I'm pretty sure that he is saying, 'don't you want to be my friend?'... 'Everyone loves me, I'm so cute, and friendly is just in my name...' 'You will love me... You will...' It will be fun to see who wins this one! Will Buddy win her heart, or will he end up a broken hearted little boy, chasing after a much too old for him cougar?