Back in the day

Monday night we had a get together at Julie's house with all of the old gang from HP ward. Some didnt come and some dont live in state anymore. Bekah was in town... and most were able to come! It was ALOT of fun catching up....we need to do it more instead of like, once a year! I didnt bring my camera, dangit! But It made me miss the old days of mutual, hanging out on the weekends, girls camp, dodgeball nights, New Years Eve's at the Weltons!, fish lake with Bekah's family, and SOO many other memories with you guys that I'll always remember!

Danny, Amber, Bekah, me, Jake, Julie, Curtis, Jesse...

and Robin, Sam and Starr.

Julie's 16th bday (Tasha and Kemra came!)

GIRLS CAMP:

3rd year

Julie-your hair! It's so golden, long and flowy!

4th year-remember that Bugle boy dance we practiced a little too much?

1st YCL year

This is when the Super Walmart on stapely first openend..and apparently we thought it was cool to hang out there..and take pictures.

Fish Lake and Utah trip.. summer 2000 with Bekah's family.

Halloween 2000

Going cloth

I'm definitely going to go cloth. The number of dirty diapers that come out of my house is ridiculous. I have my own little landfill in the garage. I've been looking at alot of websites that sell them..and they dont seem as difficult to clean as they used to be. They're supposedly way more comfortable for the baby, hold explosions better and even have flushable liners! Plus, they look SO cute on the babies bottoms!

My only problem is there are SO many to choose from. I wish I knew the best brand to go with. So far..I've looked at Baby Kangas , Fuzzi bunz and Thirsties. And there's still plenty of other brands out there to look at.

I like them all. The baby Kangas are cool cause they have a zip pouch that you put the inserts in. The Fuzzi bunz have so many cute colors. But, the Thirsties are cool cause it's an all in one system with no inserts. I dont know..it's so hard to decide when there are so many. Price wise they are around the same. It's gonna be pretty expensive all at once to get enough of these for 2 babies for a 1-2 day supply. But I figured it out and it matches up to about a 5-6 months amount we'd spend on disposables. And the size medium cloth ones will fit them from 12 pounds to 32 pounds! That's so worth it, right?! Now I have to plead my case to Steven...But if he sees the amount we'll save, I'm sure he'll go for it.

Dont let this cute little face fool you....

Bastien has always been a great sleeper. When he was a baby he'd go to sleep at 7pm and wake up at 8am! And as a toddler we started letting him stay up until 8:30 ish and he would wake up around 7..still good right! Well, the past month or so he's been waking up at 5!!! Yes, you heard me..5 o'clock in the DANG morning! He even pulls 4:45's alot. It doesnt make it easier that Jasper wakes up at 3 to eat(Embry wakes up at 6) and by the time I get back in bed I have less than an hour to try to fall back asleep!! It doesnt matter what time we put him to bed either. For example last night...we came home at 10:30pm from being at my parents. And he still woke up at 5! I try to get him to go back to sleep..which used to work when he was in his crib..but he's been in his bed for a couple months now and he just stands by the gate at the door and screams/cries if I tell him to go back to bed...and it wakes up all the babies! I would just let him out and keep sleeping but it's "Mommy milk.....Mommy watch Caillou....Mommy I eat food" I REALLY hope this is just a phase....cause these babies seem like they are going to be really good sleepers, too. And I am counting on them to wake up at 7 ish like Bastien did. It's funny how I used to think that was early! Gosh, what I wouldnt give to sleep until 7 at least ONE morning!!!!!

Actor of the day...part 2

RYAN GOSLING

-Remember the Titans *****

-Murder by numbers***

-The United States of Leland**

-The Notebook*****

-Stay***

-Fracture***

(Here's a little fun fact: My sister Mary served a mission with his older sister at Temple Square. He came to visit her there. And she told Mary he was working on a tv show he was in at the time called "Young Hercules"...so this was before he was a big movie star. I dont know if he's mormon or just his sister is.)

Happy quarter of a century Steven!

I'm a little late on this...but Saturday was Steven's 25th bday! We celebrated by getting to go out on our own, thanks to Becca (Steven's sister) . We went to BJ's..they have the BEST pizza! And then we just walked around the mall, cause there wasnt anything at the theaters. It was much needed..we havent been out alot these past 3 months. But...when we were dating we used to make lists of the things we liked about eachother. It sounds cheesy..but it ended up being pretty funny...especially his lists. But, I just appreciate everything Steven does and who he is and I just wanted to write a few things I LOVE about him, like back in the old days!

• He has The BEST sense of humor. Anyone who knows Steven, knows he has a one of a kind personality. But I'm so glad I get to see it everyday...and I can tell he's definitely passing it on to Bastien :)



• He has a GREAT smile! This is what I was first drawn to in the Scott's van on the way to Youth Conference (where we first met).
  
• He is SO Smart! He's just one of those people who are good at everything they try. He's such a great pilot. I never worry about him doing something stupid while he's flying. But I never realized how smart he is and how much he likes to learn when it is something he loves, like helicopters. He's read all his helicopter books and study guides a few times each...and you can tell. The books are weathered and torn. Even though he's not in school anymore, he still has to bring one of his little books everywhere we go...even the grocery store.





• He has always treated me well. I cant believe I have been with him for almost 8 years! We started dating September 2000, and he still treats me as good as he always has. I love how well we get along. He has always been very considerate of my feelings. And if I am a nag sometimes, he doesnt make me feel like one! Also, I love it that when I vent to him, he always takes my side and never makes me feel dumb...even though I may not mean everything I say.



• He's such a good daddy. I used to want 8 kids when we were dating. He said he wanted 2. Even a few days before I found out we were pregnant with Bastien, we had a conversation about how I wanted a baby and he wanted to wait a couple more years. Well...Bastien came..and he totally did a 180. He even talks about having more kids ..(even after having twins!) But I love how good he is with Bastien. He'll get home from work and immediatly start playing with Bastien. I have to fight Bastien for his attention!



• I love how the weekends are his break..but he still helps out with the twins ALOT. He lets me go take a nap for a few hours while he watches all of them. But when I wake up he says " I dont know how you do it everyday". He makes me feel appreciated!
• He gave me the CUTEST babies! I dont know what i'd do with an ugly baby..jk. But, I always knew he would..being smoking HOT and all. I love those crazy blue eyes!

There is So much to say about Steven..I could tell you lots of HILARIOUS stories of some of the things he's done or said to people..and kept a straight face while doing it!! (Something I've always envied about him. ) But, he made a Great boyfriend for 3 years..and an even more AMAZING husband for 5 years! (in July)

I love you little SUMP! (dont ask)

Bestest Buddies

They are kinda starting to notice eachother! When I hold one on my lap to burp one, they are in eachother's view cause the other one is laying in the boppy besides me. They'll make eye contact and SMILE at eachother! It's SO cute! I cant wait for them to play together! I am starting to feel the fun part of having twins:)

My little dress up dolls

My mom bought me these really CUTE outfits at Target for my shower and all together everything was pretty pricey so I thought i'd take them to get professional pictures with them. Well, I'm still too much of a coward to brave it alone at the mall. Plus,they are outgrowing the outfits and the outfits are way too HOT for them now! (Why do stores here in AZ tempt you with cute little winter outfits...when they dont even end up being able to wear them but once, maybe!) So anyways, I just held a little photshoot on the couch.

Camille got these adorable little vans shoes for them!

I cant get Embry to stop smiling these days...but whenever I get the camera out, he just stares at it so seriously with his big eyeballs.

They were getting all toasty wearing the outfits just inside the house....

Bastien's "scary" face.

Actor Du Jour

Netflix and Camilly inspired this new idea. Camille provides fun filled facts every day and netflix has this thing where you can rate movies. I'm bored and this sounds fun, so I decided.... I'm gonna "feature" some of my favorite actors/actresses and what movies I like them in and how many stars I rate the movies.

So here's my very first:

HUGH DANCY

Movies I like him in:

-Ella Enchanted****

-King Arthur*****

-Daniel Deronda****

-The Sleeping Dictionary***

-Evening***

-The Jane Austen Book Club***

-Blood and Chocolate**(it's about a werewolf girl who falls in love with a human...but not nearly as cool as Twilight..and kinda boring :)

-Black Hawk Down****

(*hated it **didnt like it***liked it****really liked it*****LOVED it)

By the way, how many stars I give the movies probably wont really help you decide if YOU'LL like the movie or not. I'm not a harsh judge on movies...if it's got a good storyline and it's not directed by Quentin Tarantino..I probably like the movie.

I'm getting so excited for Dec 12th!

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

ALOHA!

If you've ever fallen asleep in fast and testimony meeting..my dad's "ALOHA!!" will wake anybody up!

This pic was taken before his "Spoiled baby" aka his "favorite" came along....jk

My dad had a stroke last Sunday night. He was diagonosed with diabetes a few months ago and since then has devoted himself to being "Healthy". He lost a crazy amount of weight, and looks so good. When my brothers were in the hospital with him on Monday, they could see his whole right side of his body slowly getting worse. I finally was able to see him Tuesday night and it was SO sad to see the right side of his face fallen. It was so cute, cause when I walked into his room on Tuesday night all the kids were already there and so we were all there, including my mom . My dad started to cry saying how happy he was that all his kids were there. He said "Everyone was here, except for Salena and I was wishing that Salena would come, too and then she walked in...." (something like that) Everyone was of course, crying when he was.

He is being transfered today to Banner Baywood, where they have a good therapy program for his right leg, arm and face/speech. I'm glad cause he'll be a little bit closer to me! They are moving back to the house I grew up in.. (They were living in Maricopa) so that they can be closer to therapy. Besides this being life altering for my dad, of course..it has been this way for my mom, too.

After Steven lost his mom from cancer in 2006. It was so unreal, I told Steven I dont know how he dealt with it! I guess you have to...but I would seriously...I dont know, there are NO words...But I dont know what I'd do if I lost a parent. That's why I am soooo incredibly thankful that my dad is still here. I appreciate him so much, he's helped all his kids way too much. He cant say no and most the time you dont even ask..he'll offer or just help you without any hesitation. I just love my dad so much..please pray for him to fully recover soon! Last night Steven and I got to visit him while Sione and Britni were there, too and his face looked ALOT better! He's so cute, last night when Sione and Steven were helping him into bed he's all "I'll be walking in a month.." And Sione's all "Dont try to walk by yourself anymore"..(cause he had walked to the chair before he got there) Sione's all "That's what these are for" (He pointed to the nurse button) And Sione was saying how he didnt want him to fall and break his hip..my dad's all " I wont..I'm very wise." I love how my dad didnt lose ANY of his humor :)

"I gotta pump"

Those are the words that come out of my mouth too many times a day.

One time after cleaning and getting all my pumping stuff ready, I threw it on the couch by my pump and ran to the bathroom...when I came out Bastien was holding both little pumpamajiggers on his chest like I would, and I said "what are you doing?" and he's all "Gotta pump". That's when I realized how much I say that!

So yeah..still pumping exclusively. The whole nursing thing didnt work out and I was tired of torturing myself and going back and forth with my decision was stressing me out. I finally just decided to stick to what I was doing. And it's crazy cause my supply actually went up. Alot. They eat about 5 times a day(and night) and drink 5-7 oz each feeding. I just pump right after they eat...while they are sitting there, content with a full belly. I usually get 6-9 oz total each time...and it only takes 10-15 minutes! (I get 12-14 oz in the morning!) That's not enough to split between the two of them obviously. But what I do is feed them a bottle of formula at 4 or 5 in the am when they wake up. And after they go to bed I pump and store that in the fridge to help add to their bottles the next day. So, basically they are getting all breastmilk during the day and their nightime bottle is half formula and their morning bottle is all formula. I still feel like a failure in some ways because I told myself I was going to nurse this time no matter what, but at least they are still getting breastmilk , right? Also, they seem to take formula much better than Bastien ever did and this was the main reason I was determined to BF in the first place...cause I didnt want them to be as gassy as bastien was. Anyways, I know most people BF for like a year or something but I cannot imagine myself pumping for a year. My goal is 6, maybe 7 months. And they'll be 3 months in a week so I'm almost halfway there. Anyways, I'm pretty sure this is all boring you to tears..so I'll go......I gotta pump anyways. :)

Embry and Jasper's blessing day

Yesterday the babies were blessed. Steven gave them both wonderful blessings! Afterwards, we had some lunch at our place and I cant believe I was worried there wasnt going to be enough food..cause there was plenty! We had Chipotle style burritos...shredded beef, carnitas, and chicken to put in it! My dad's sister Naioka ended up bringing some good ol' tongan food, too! Everything turned out great..thanks to everyone who brang food and helped! Here are some pictures that Ana took yesterday:

my brother Sione holding the twins (making his weird sleeping picture face:)

Maizi and Bastien playing with water

my dads shirt is funny because it sounds a little F.O.B-bby. It says "Not only I'm perfect..I'm tongan, too" shouldnt it say "Not only am I" ? Either a Fob made this shirt, did it on purpose or accident, or I'm the one who doesnt know proper english.

all the cousins watching that Water horse movie..which we were informed by Mary..means noch less monster.

Mom, Baby Tali and Mary

Behind the scenes....

of TWILIGHT! go watch this! http://www.etonline.com/news/2008/04/60435/index.html

All ready to go...

yesterday morning we were getting ready to leave to take Jasper to the doctor...and my mom told him to put on his shoes cause we were leaving, and this is what he puts together:

-rocket backpack filled with toys, check.

-tub toy for a hat, check.

-boots, check.

-pirates sword, check!