we like to move it, move it.

it got CRAZY up in hurr...

Dirty Dancing's famous lift

dip & kiss. 

Endless Summer.

Everywhere else in the world it's fall but here, there's only summer.

Home Sweet Island Home.

Happy (Belated) Halloween!

Happy (Belated) Halloween!!!

Love,

Sully & Boo

Mommy Fail.

I had a serious mommy fail a few months ago.

It especially affected THIS guy.

It was a pretty chaotic moment. One in which I was simultaneously stirring boiling pasta, discussing plans with Tim on the phone, holding a teething June and had a nagging Owen pulling on my apron. I can't really remember exactly what happened but the butane stove I had on the counter slipped a little and sent boiling hot water spilling all over the counter. Before I could even think I yelled, "Oh, $#!%.." I dropped the phone, pushed Owen aside, grabbed a towel that was laying on the door (thank goodness for my messy house that day) and averted any crisis. I quickly apologized to the kids for scaring them and explained that I made a mistake and just didn't want them to get hurt. I thought all was well.

Until I heard it.

"Oh, $#!% !!!"

and then again....."Oh, $#!% !!!"

Owen had picked up this awful word the ONE TIME I said it (aloud anyway). For months we've been trying to get him back to saying, "Oh, man!" or "Oh no!" and sometimes he'll appease us. But from time to time you'll still hear him yelling this horrible word.

The worst part? Owen doesn't usually pronunciate his words very clearly but in this case it's so clear there's no mistaking it. I can't even pass off my mommy failure as something else like, "shoe," or "ship" or any other word. No, my mommy failure will sadly live on until he (hopefully) forgets about it.

And THAT was my mommy fail. Sigh.

sleep deprivation day

We got hit with a terrible cold/flu/bronchitis this last month. The kids were so uncomfortable that they would wake several times during the night. It was almost like having newborn twins in the house! After about 2 weeks of no sleep and being sick I kind of hit rock bottom. I dubbed this day, "National Sleep Deprivation Day." I knew I had to step up my game or I might lapse into a coma. 

Here's a few highlights from our newly christened holiday.

Owen has all of a sudden developed an opinion on clothing. This day he wanted to dress like Tim. I'm seriously considering getting him some fake glasses to wear since he always begs to wear his Dad's.

A night of only 2 hours of sleep? We definitely needed a sugar pick me up. 

I totally bought these because they were Halloween donuts. 

Hit the mega load at Himawari. The kids got juice boxes and hi-chews and I came home with this. :-)

We don't have seasons here (that's what we get for living next to the equator) but I've been craving fall leaves. The kids and I went through the yard grabbing leaves and made a "Saipan Fall Wall," instead.

By the afternoon we were all dead. So we snuggled.

And snuggled some more.

The End.

I believe this & it is beautiful.

Japanese Autumn Festival.

Every year they have a Japanese Autumn Festival here in Saipan. We went last year and had so much fun being immersed in Japanese culture. There are a lot of Japanese residents here and many of the restaurants and stores are Japanese so it's easy to forget that we're technically in the states.

Before the real show started we walked around a bit and Owen led us straight to the donut shop.

 (Totally by accident, I'm sure.)

Both the kids only eat the portions covered in frosting.

This was the cutest thing ever but my hands were full and my lens was on zoom. The moment lasted about a minute and this was the only image I was able to catch. June noticed the moon up in the sky and was pointing saying, "Look! Look!" She didn't know what it was and it was the sweetest thing to watch her curiosity peak.

This little girl was so adorable. She was actually snapping pictures with that camera!

I just couldn't get enough of all the little girls running around in kimonos.

We've all been battling a cold for a month now and the kids started to get winded pretty early. Owen is a HUGE Daddy's boy and June is my baby but she insisted on her Dad carrying her for the bit of the festival. Super Dad, I tell you.

The whole thing left me itching for our Japan trip (coming this April for the Cherry Blossom Festival!) and wishing I could claim I was at least a little bit Japanese. :-)