Sometimes it's awkward...

So it's been a really really long time since our last update. Coming back to update the blog after such a long absence is like running into a good friend in the grocery store. You know, that one friend who is so thoughtful in keeping in contact with you, and you keep meaning to call them back, but like the slackers we often are, we never do. And you see them in the store and for a split second your face radiates the joy you feel in seeing them.....until your guilt kicks in a nano second later and your face freezes as you try to either backtrack and make excuses or hope they didn't see you and you can escape....while you promise yourself you'll call them AS. SOON. AS. YOU. GET. HOME. (But you won't. Slacker. lol)

Anyways, needless to say between the last post and today, there have been numerous funny, wonderful, enjoyable, remarkable things that have happened, as well as our fair share of frustrating, disappointing, stressful things. That's how it goes. We just hope we handle ourselves gracefully in times of stress, and remain good examples for our kids. WE HOPE.

We're celebrating Kaleineneke's 4th birthday this weekend. She is, at this very moment, walking around the house with a plastic serving tray on her head, practicing walking like a 'princess' in her not so humble opinion. She's even practicing saying "Your highness", if only to teach her sister Lehuakona how to say it 'appropriately'. (Insert big sigh here)

4 years went by quickly. Her vocabulary is impressive, as are her cognitive skills, but what amazes us the most is her creativity. She is a 4 year old weaver of stories. She creates these intricate stories starring the clouds she sees in the sky as we're driving. Her emotions are just under the surface, ready to burst forth through song, dance, explanations and stories. We walk the line with enthusiastically encouraging her without her becoming vain (which we're seeing traces of.).

As for Pumehana, well, she's going to be 18 years old this year. Rather than feel old, her daddy and I feel accomplished. This baby was deemed 'unsave-able'. Doctors and nurses told us she would not make it past the few minutes it w

ould take me to go from my hospital room to the NICU. Our entire 'ohana has poured aloha and positivity into her little body, and encouraged and prayed for her and with her every step of the way. Her spirit is tremendous and we know she is filled with the aloha of her ancestors. She is an amazing big sister.

Lehuakona, our 2 year old is a bundle of energy, enthusiasm, and wit. She is by turns hilarious and stress inducing. SHE makes me feel old. Her creativity equals that of Kaleineneke, it just takes a different form. She is physically creative. By this I mean that she finds numerous strange and alarming ways to express herself. Such as....a half gallon of milk poured on the floor, followed by half a box of Fruity Pebbles with her stomping on them. Why? Because, "Hey Mommy! It's CRUNCHY!" with a huge smile on her adorable (well not so adorable at that moment) face. To provide some context, five minutes earlier, she had decorated her sister Pumehana's bedroom wall with dark brown crayon. Which is what I was cleaning while she decided to play "Snap! Crackle! and Pop!" in the kitchen. Today she decided she would paint me a picture. Using toothpaste. On the bathroom cabinet doors. And floors. I'm laughing now, but you can bet I wasn't finding it so humorous this morning. Even when she smiled and said "Do you like the picture I made for you Mommy?"

Mr. Carden and I are getting better and better at rolling with the punches. There's a lot of laughter at the kids' antics when we're laying in bed and the girls are sleeping. We've been doing great at our resolutions which were to spend more time with just the two of us each day. My resolution to read 100 books in 2012 is going superbly as well. I'm currently on 19 books and it's only March 1st. Yes, I'm feeling pretty smug about it. I do intend to post on our blog more often, and while that's not a resolution, it is a goal nonetheless. Hopefully these posts survive in some fashion over the years so the girls are able to read it when they're older. Because I'm NOT writing all of this twice.

It's FEBRUARY ALREADY?!

Ahhh....it is FREEEEEEEEEZING in Salt Lake City! As in 12 degrees. Craziness, I tell you! So with this freezing weather, David was 'ono for Portugese Bean Soup. I've never made it before, but I thought, really...how hard could it be? Turns out, not too hard at all! Pretty simple, and it turned out super 'ono!! I absolutely love dishes that don't require too much fussing. Hey, I'm super busy, I don't always have time to fuss with dishes that require strict attention. Here's a photo, and I must say, the photo does not do justice to its taste. It's certifiably delicious.

So it's Valentine's Season. In our house, Valentine's is a Season all its own. We normally start around David's birthday, (Jan. 23rd) with decorating, getting goodies for the girls' Valentine's baskets, and February 1st always kicks it up, we do Valentine's baked goodies, a movie, and crafts. This evening we did Valentine's cupcakes, Winnie The Pooh's Valentine movie and heart wishes as a craft. I'd post pics except the girls got messy making cupcakes, then messy eating them, then add to that the glitter and glue for tonight's craft and well, you get the idea. Monstrous mess. But it's the first night of many, so I'm sure there'll be cute pics shortly. We will even have a Valentine freebie this week, for you to download, print and use! Fabulous! Lucky you! hahahaha

And lastly, here's a "only a parent knows" moment. I was doing laundry and I overhear Kalei saying, "'Kay, Hua, your turn!", followed by Lehua giggling, and saying a few minutes later, "'Kay, Leilei, your turn!" and they're both giggling. I'm thinking to myself, "Awwww.....I love when they play so nicely and politely with each other!!" My heart is turning to mush, and I'm starting (as in just for a nano second) to think, "Maybe my insistence on please, thank you, etc., is paying off!" Only to take the corner and see that while yes, they're taking turns, it happens that they're taking turns at the window, making googly faces at the landscapers who are outside clearing away dead branches. Nice. Yes they get scolded, all thoughts of taking them for a treat fly out of my head, and instead, we go back to the drawing book, and read about Bert and Ernie and the importance of being polite. Crazy kids.