Happy We've-Know-Each-Other-for-Two-Years Anniversary

24 February 2009 - McKinley and I met each other on a blind date. The first thing we did was eat at CPK. Last year, 24 February 2010, I decided that every year we should celebrate the day we met by eating at CPK. Of course, we did it again this year. Incase you missed it, here's a picture recap of the past two years:

I don't know why, but right before I left for our date, my roommate took a pic...

We matched pretty well on occasion...

22 June 2009 - I proposed on top of the SWKT...

Engaged

19 September 2009 - Married

Honeymoon - Maui

 Moved to SLC...cool location...but commuting sucked...

 Moved back to Provo/Orem

Takashi...go eat there if you haven't yet...it's in SLC...

 Got pregnant...

 Five bucks for the first person to name that body part...

Celebrated our real anniversary...

 Hair looks good for a betty about to go into labor huh?...

The dude has more hair than I do...

 Presh...

Straight up thug...nah...not really...

 Words w/ Friends...you play?...check out how ridiculous this is...Lindsay played a 132 point move...I pretty much just gave up after that...

Two years and two days later...I had to work the night of the 24th, so we celebrated on the 26th...

Thanks again Jessie Jensen for making it all happen. It's been a pretty awesome and eventful two years. Funny...b/c before either of us knew each other, we had the "four seasons and a rode trip" mentality when it came to marriage. Instead, something else happened. It turned into 1/2 a season and 2 rode trips. Everything else after that was out of our hands. Never thought/plan it would happen like this. Ridiculous. 

Haolepino Update

Wow it has already been four months since Ekemona was born? Where does time go? I mean March is just around the corner!! That means Spring is coming, which means we are getting close to going home to Maui, which means Gian will finally have a break from school and work, which means I can barely take all this excitement!!!

Well Eke Master just had his 4th month well check up followed by some immunizations. Here are the stats of my fuzzy buns.

Length: 25" (54.41%tile)

Weight: 14.46 lbs (41.39%tile)

Head Circumference: 17" (75.04%tile)

Ok, so MoMo might or might not have a big head. He has torticollis {which is a tight muscle in his neck} and Plagiocephaly {it is when an infant has a misshapen head due to a flatting on one side}. So the doctor said that his head does not measure correctly, instead giving you this LARGE number, making it sounds like he may already be the next Einstein. Regardless this little boy is amazing!

E's likes: car rides, anything with lights and sounds, music, his mobile, Mom, Dad, Tatu, Koko, his jungle gym play mat, he looooooooves the TV and Baby Einstein DVD's, his swing, faces, and being swaddled.

E's not so much favorite things: the taste of Gripe Water and Baby Tylenol, being over tired, being too hot aaaaaaaaaaaannd I think that is all.

He is so easy going, I love that he just hangs out. He never complains unless it is something painful like shots. He has been sleeping through the nights since he was 8-9 weeks old and we wake him up around midnight to feed him. So technically he never wakes up on his own and sleeps 12 straight hours. 

As far as the shots go, it has made him groggy and right now the swing is his favorite place. When the nurse harpooned him with the needle his little face scrunched up and turned crimson red. I have never seen that much blood rush to his face like that before. He cried just for a bit and once I held him he was laughing and smiling at the nurse like she just gave him candy. Once we got home he pouted his bottom lip and started to cry a painful cry. Not one of those angry or hungry cry, but strictly a painful cry. Thank goodness for Baby Tylenol. It is the greatest helper and with out it both Ekemona and I would be crying all night. 

Now it's picture time!!! Oh-oh oh oh oh-oh-oh picture time...

What Do You Think?!?

I need your guys' help! I am thinking of possibly changing my hair color and style. I don't know if I have the guts to do it, but I need opinions, honest opinions. Take a look at the following inspiration photos and tell me what you think will look best with my skin tones and face shape.

Just in case you forgot what I looked like hahahha just kidding. To help compare what looks best.

Colors:

Style:

I use this product and L-O-V-E it! I highly recommend it!

Shopping is My Talent!

My new favorite places to shop for my little Ekemona are Zulily and Gymboree. They have some of the cutest stuff and it is all at a great price. I have, so far, bought Eke's swim shorts {for when we go home to Maui in April}, a hat, PJ's, and gifts for others. I love almost everything. I just bought this jacket for E today. It is a 2T so he has some time to grow into it, but I couldn't resist!

 Can I just point out how interesting that Zulily is like a combination of Lily and Ekemona's names? OK maybe I am the only one who sees it, but just another reason why I like it! 

In case you want to spend some more money, Jane and Jake is so darling especially if you have girls. I have yet to purchase anything from here because money doesn't grow from trees, but if it did.... you know I would live in this store. The way the store is decorated is exactly the way I want my children's nurseries and rooms to look.

If you live in Utah and are shopping for your pregnancy or your little nugget, I am OCD with Babinski's {this is where I got my rocking chair and stroller} and Sassy Babies. They both have a Facebook and do contests all the time. All you have to do is "Like" their page and post on their wall when they do a contest. I actually won some swaddle blankets from Sassy Babies. Whoever their buyers are, are doing a great job. Maybe they are looking for help?!? Ahahha

OK, ok ok just one more and I promise I am done. We buy all our diapers and wipes at Diapers.com. Type in this code to recieve discounts and coupons VLCM5919. My sister Brittany encouraged us to shop here and it is the greatest idea. They guarantee that shipping will get to you in two days. They sell everything from diapers to toys to car seats and have wonderful discount programs. Because of their coupons and savings, we were able to get a Baby Einstien DVD for free. I was soooooooo thrilled they had the exact one I was looking for. Ekemona loves these DVD's, so it was a great deal.

What are your favorite stores? Where do you like to shop for your bundle of joy while saving money?

The Best Meal!

When it comes to dinner I usually don't like to go off a recipe because I feel like I can never use all the ingredients. It's cheaper for me to just shop for what I need and it is faster because I don't have to take the time to read every step to see if I have done it right.

As of recent, I have been trying to add more fish into our menu. I am really picky about what kind of fish I eat because it always seems fishy. While I was at the grocery store, I decided to look at what the butcher had for sea food. I saw ahi tuna and ono, which are two of my favorite fishes in the whole wide world. I love deep sea tropical fish. One day I hope to go deep sea fishing when I go home to Maui to visit. These fish are really hard to come across if you're anywhere else, except Hawai'i. I looked at the butcher, Grant, and asked how fresh this fish really was. He informed me that they are trying this new way of shipping the fish. They next-day-air the fish live and swimming and then they butcher the fish at the store. I was sold!!! I thought, "What a brilliant way to keep such a wonderful fish fresh - really fresh!" I bought the ono not knowing how to make it at all! {Ono is Hawaiian for "good." It literally is the best fish ever! It is a white, flaky fish with a very mild taste}

When I got home that night, I knew I had to make it right away so it would still be delicious and fresh. I started brain-storming. I looked in my pantry; I had bread crumbs and corn flakes. I thought I could bread the fish. I looked in my fridge and found parmesan - what a perfect combination.  I threw all three items into a zip block bag and took a rolling pin to make the corn flakes smaller. I now needed to make a liquid to dip the fish in so the breaded mixture would stick. I again ran to the pantry and saw cream of chicken. I added salt, pepper, milk, melted butter and water to get the right consistency and flavor. It made so much. I couldn't let it go to waste so I poured about 2 cups worth into a shallow dish {pie pan} to dip the fish, and the rest I put on the stove to cook and get warm.

I added some olive oil to a pan and fried the fish, Ono, very slowly to make sure it would cook all the way through because they were really thick slices.  It was all done and beautiful, I had the fish and rice with the gravy poured over it and it was delicious!!! I was so pleased with the way it turned out.

Be My Valentine

Sorry I am a little behind... Here is what we did for Valentine's Day. Hopefully you aren't totally out of the spirit of love day yet.

Since Gian had to work on Monday, we celebrated Tuesday. We went to dinner at Spark, which is supposed to be amazing. I have to tell, I liked it, but it wasn't my favorite. I liked my entree and the desserts. I have heard so many great things about it, but was just a little disappointed. I mean, it was good, but I wouldn't be itching to go back any time soon. They do have awesome non-alcoholic drinks. They had a huge selection, and I had no idea which flavor to try. Gian got their Shirley Temple that was topped off with cotton candy, and I got the Black Lemonade... it didn't taste like anything to me. Here are pictures of what we ate.... isn't it funny that we, as a culture, do this?!?! I looked around and I think every table was taking pictures of their food.

 Gian got me these beautiful flowers!!! He is so romantic.

Shirley Temple

 My soda that had a sour ting to it

 Fried Pork Lollipops

 Gian got the kobe beef burger. Great fries!

 Gouda mac and cheese with fried chicken

Creme Brulee

Panna cotta with tapioca pearls (left to right: papaya, guava and kiwi)

 Of course, our baby comes with us on our dates. You think we have the money to go on a date AND get a baby sitter? ahahah

 This was Ekemona's valentine gift. 

I made Gian's gift. When we were dating, I found this children's book called "I like you because" and I gave it to Gian. When I made him this book, I knew just what to name it. I just went to Office Max and had them bind the paper for me and put a protective clear sheet as the front and back cover.

 These are my two favorite pages. I would like to tell you this only cost $17, I found everything at the dollar spot at Michael's. It was like it was meant to be! ahhahah If you would like to see more pictures of the book let me know and I will upload some more. 

On the tag to the left is a lyric from me and Gian's song. The inside of each envelope is a note that starts with "I like you because..." Gian really liked this gift and I knew he would because he is so sentimental, but I am just so happy that he liked it as much as I thought he would. Those are the best gifts to give!

Gian got me bedding which I have been asking for, for over a year. I looooooooooooooooove it!!! I am so so so so happy that he bought it for me. I just need to finish decorating it along with the room and then I will show off some photos.... deal?!?!

I hope that every one had a wonderful Valentines Day and was able to spend time with the ones they love the most.