Look Alikes?

Okay, so I finally figured out how to do a collage using picasa. It drove me crazy trying to figure it out by myself and I wasn't going to quit until I did. I'm so happy I did, I love the editing features of it (now all I have to do is find time to edit my pictures). Anyway, here are pictures of Kaipo (on top obviously, the pictures are much clearer, poor Kono, we used our video camera that takes pics with only 2.3 megapixels! The camera I have now is 12.1 megapixels (although sometimes it doesn't seem that way, I'm not the best photographer). Anyway, enough blabbing, don't you think it's cute how I took pictures of them in the same outfit? I love how both of them are such smiley babies and how they hold their hands together. They are both around the same age on these pictures (Kono was just a little older) but Kaipo is the one who is taller and much chubbier. Oh how I love my babies!

Silly Kono

Kono just so happened to see that his cousin Nahoa got a Batman ice cream (while I was looking at their blog) and he kept asking me for one. I finally gave in one day and surprised him. Here he is so excited that he's getting a "present/treat" (he always closes his eyes and opens his hands and has us do the same if he has something for us) . That's what Kono lives for, presents and treats!
It was too big for Kono to finish so I helped him. It looks yummier than it tastes. It's not really an ice cream, more like a frozen confection of some sort. It was $1.75 and I told Kono he can't get another one unless he saves his coins. Quite pricey!


Kono was so excited to paint (he hasn't done it in a while). I told him to take off his shorts to avoid getting paint on it even though it was washable paint, I just didn't want him to get paint on his clothes. Later on, I saw that he took off his shorts AND underwear. I was laughing so hard. I went to take a picture of him and he was saying "cheese!" and "Cheetos!" That's what he's saying in the pictures. And here he is ready to go to a football game. He looked so cute I had to get a picture. He looked like he was going to school with his backpack on.

Kaipo Gets a Trim

Here's a before picture of Kaipo's long sideburns and hair over his ears. I took out the scissors and trimmed it then trimmed the back and just very little on top.

And here is a after picture (it should have been a close up). He's all ready for church, even though his vest is a bit snug, it'll work. This outfit was Kono's.
Another cute picture of my "little pumpkin". That's what I call him, Mommy's pumpkin.

Random Pics

We've discovered that Kaipo likes to be a part of the action when Daddy plays with Kono. He's so cute, he gets so excited when he gets to play with them too. Here he is "wrestling" Kono.
And here he is pretending to give Kono a good punch in the face (so silly, Granite). Don't you love Kono's good acting? :)

The flower above was even prettier before it got a little dirty.

I meant to do a post on the improvement of our yard over the summer but never got around to taking pictures. We went from dirt, ugly rocks and weeds to growing a flower bed (thanks to Granite's Mom and Kono) with all sorts of flowers including morning glories, and sunflowers around 7 feet tall! We even got a fence put up by Granite and his Dad and whenever his Dad does work, he does it very precisely and neatly. Needless to say, the fence looks like it was done by professionals even though it was their first time putting up one. It's so nice to have a yard for the kids to play in. I am really looking forward to getting grass. When that happens, I'll make a post. Like I said, I became so busy that I didn't even take pictures, only a few really late in the summer (when the flowers started becoming older looking, it's too bad I never got a picture of the sunflowers, they were so big!). Anyway, I'm making a big deal because if you know Tuba, you never really see anything green or colorful so it's amazing to see something grow in rez dirt. So these are the only three pictures I took. I wouldn't want to take any now, it has gone wild and really needs to be trimmed since they are tall wild flowers rather than shorter store bought transplanted ones.

If you look closely and click on the pix (I know it's a little blurry, my fault) but you'll see tiny flowers inside the red flower. I thought that was cool.

A picture with my little "Michelin tires" boy.

Future Missionaries

Here is my Mom standing with 6 out of the 8 grandsons she has. My sisters and I all have boys. My oldest sister Kasandra, has two and another one on the way. My other sister Michele, has three ( and another baby on the way but not the gender is not yet known, we are hoping for a girl since there are only two granddaughters in the family so far). So here they all are, minus Kaipo who was sleeping and Rian who was not with us that day. Aren't they so handsome? It's amazing to think that they'll all be on missions around the same time and also leaving for and returning from a mission one right after another. We are surely blessed to have these cute little "stripling warriors" in our family.

Canyon de Chelly

Over the weekend, I was able to visit with my family in my hometown, Ganado, AZ. It was such a nice visit even though it was so short. We decided to take the kids for a hike down Canyon de Chelly (pronounced 'shay') in Chinle, AZ. By the time we got there, it was already getting hot (even though the kids were up bright and early as usual, minus mine, we still somehow got a late start). So here is the beautiful view from up top:
It was a two and a half mile hike down. It's pretty much a "no sweat" hike IF you don't have children with you and the weather is nice (well, yes you'll sweat and it is a workout but you know what I mean). Anyway, let me just say that I don't know what we were thinking! It was hot and the only guy/father who was able to come with us was my bother-in-law, Matt. So Granite and my other brother-in-law, Kyle, were both unable to help with all the crazy boys who don't really understand the concept of height and slippery dirt. This made extra work for all of us adults (myself, my two sisters, my bro-in-law, and my mom).So, we "hauled" down seven boys ranging from 4 years of age to 2 and a half months old. We ended up only going I'd say less than half the way because we knew there was no way the boys were going to make it back up. We were looking forward to them playing in the water at the bottom of the canyon, but there wasn't even water down there this time of year.

Here they are (minus one who was already playing in the dirt, and Kaipo who was in the front carrier) at the beginning of the hike in a little tunnel. The shade felt so nice.
And here I am with Kaipo. My mom brought extra hats (it's a good thing!) and I didn't even have a back pack. Trust me, holding a 14 pound baby and a heavy (and I thought I packed semi-light) over-the-shoulder diaper bag just does not go well together. If it were a backpack it would have been more manageable.

Kaipo isn't really sure what's going on but he seemed to enjoy it. He's in a thin long sleeve hoodie to protect him from the sun.

This is where we called it quits and hung out before we headed back up. We were so happy to have found a big space of shade. The boys played and had snacks and plenty of water. And the picture below is the view from where we were at:

The boys kept themselves entertained by throwing rocks and chunks of dirt onto the rock walls and of course playing in the dirt, putting it all over themselves. Isn't it funny how long boys can stay entertained outside even without any toys? Kaipo looks extra chubby in these pictures. It's funny, some days he can look really chubby and other days he won't look quite as chubby.
And here are the six trekkers- covered in dirt, sunblock, oreo crumbs, you name it! It was a fun little hike despite the heat, exhaustion, and dehydration (only I got dehydrated which caused further problems).

Can't get enough.....

.....of those rolls on Kaipo's arms and chest, the double chin, (and yes I can't get enough of Kono too, especially his photogenic smile and his personality).I also can't get enough of those chubby cheeks, cute small chin, perfect nose, full lips,
that adorable smile,
how peaceful he looks when he sleeps,
how his hair stands up,
and how he loves to "talk," is always smiling, and even how he squeals with delight at things yet unknown to us.
I really can't get enough of this boy!