The next American Idols

All About Me

Yes, this blog will be about me and not the kids. I started exercising again this week...woo hoo!!! It feels so great to run again and Joel has been wonderful about putting the kids to bed so I can go run in the evenings. Even just 1 one run can make me feel like a new person, but as I am struggling to run 20 minutes I remember how just a year ago I ran a marathon. and in 1 year I have gone from being the smallest I ever been in my life to the biggest I have ever been in my life. It is amazing what kids can do to the female body!! But even with those frustrations I know that with hard work I can get there again. I did it after Anna and I can do it after Jesse...I just wish the transformation was over night! However I do feel some insecurities in that I struggle to find clothes that I feel look good on me and am struggling to define myself in the craziness of 3 kids, a stange place, and new friends.

So with that explaination-I went shopping with some girl friends last night....3 women who are friends but I am still not entirely comfortable with. I am still trying to find my fit here. Anyways, I was buying some clothes at "The Children's Place" and the lady at the counter says "Did you get that headband here?". I just kind of stared at her and said "no" not really understanding. Then upon leaving the store I saw the exact headband I was wearing in about 50 different colors. Talk about a confidence crusher. Do I dress way too young for my age??? I mean I was in THE CHILDREN'S PLACE and I am 29 years old! It made me question everything I was wearing, right down to my matching flip flops. I was kind of embarrassed and the ladies I was with joked about it the rest of the night. Will I ever wear that headband again?

Dates

This week I have been trying to establish some sort of normalcy for my days home with the kids. Joel and I just realized that all the family visits have prolonged us from discovering what life with 3 kids is really like. IT IS NUTS! I actually managed to get 2 errands done today and drink a cup of coffee (without wearing it). I feel so acomplished. Asher and Anna have been so good at working with me as we trudge through the days. Joel and I have established date days with them so they can get some positive one on one time. They each get one date a month with one parent. Joel and Asher had a date last weekend and Anna and I go out this weekend..then next month we switch. This is our second month doing it and the kids aboslutely LOVE it. They can't wait for their dates, and actually Joel and I love it too. and speaking of dates, Joel and I got to go on one for our 7th anniversary. We had a wonderful lesuirely dinner at a beautiful restaurant in the mountains where we got to eat our food when it was hot and take out time without children crawling everywhere. We have been so blessed in 7 years. Here are some good pictures of the lovely blessings.


A Kodak moment

Asher loving on Jesse. Jesse gets smothered to death by both of them but he never seems to mind.

Anna's big boo-boo. She face planted on the cement after slipping on some tree nuts. She was miserable and somehow this bandaid helped.

Life with Jesse

Wow, with 3 kids it is getting hard to feature them each in every blog so this blog is going to be all about Jesse. Midweek I will post some updates on Asher and Anna. I have always heard that the 3rd baby is the angel baby and was completely expecting that with Jesse. Well, it hasn't been a walk in the park. He turned out to be quite fussy right around the 8 week point and people kept saying "that is when colic sets in". We couldn't even lay him on the floor on his back under an activity mat for more than 2 minutes without him screaming bloody murder. He was only happy being held. At night, we would rock him to sleep in our arms, lay him down, and he would scream for over an hour. He absolutely refuses a pacifier and a bottle. He has been fighting nursing and to top it off-closing in on 3 months, he still is waking every 2-3 hours at night. Needless to say, I have been EXHAUSTED!!! Then we had a checkup with the doctor and they prescribed him acid reflux medication. WOAH-we have a different baby now. PRAISE GOD!! It kills me that something was hurting him and he could not tell us, but he is so much happier now. He plays on the floor for hours! And 2 nights ago, he slept from 8pm to 4am. We are making progress. The only bad thing now is he HATES the car. What kind of cruel joke is it that God would give me 3 kids that hate the car! Yes, you must thing I am joking-all kids love the car and go to sleep right away in them. Let me introduce you to the Thorson babies!!


Jesse hugging his giraffe. Since he refuses a pacifier (gags it out), we have given up and are trying to force something else on him for comfort. He is taking to this nicely.

Tummy time.

Smiley Jesse takes after his Daddy. Do you see those dimples?! Asher and Anna do not have dimples like this. His smile lights up the room. and a giggle even escaped from him today for the first time.

Just chillin'.

Night Swimming

On Sunday night, Joel and I were able to go on a date while Auntie Mara, Grandma and Grandpa held down the fort with the kids. We went night snorkeling at a place called Hanauma Bay. It was so amazing and romantic, with a little bit freaky. We held hands as we navigated through the darkness with one underwater light seeing sea critters you don't normally see during the daytime. Then I banged my knee on some coral and was ready to be done for fear of the sharks coming after my blood seeping into the water! Just the idea of it being right next to me without me seeing it until I put a light on it made me panic a little. But we felt like newlyweds on our honeymoon. The moon was so bright casting a beautiful light on the water, tiki torches were lit on the beach, and the breeze and water were so warm. As we walked to our car taking one last look at this view, we praised God for a chance to live and experience this paradise in a way we know many never do. I want to not take my days here for granted.

However as we did leave, I also wondered if living this life was worth what we gave up in leaving Massachusetts. I know it is only torture to ask those questions now but MA is still home in my heart. It is hard for me to still accept that we are not there anymore and life there moves on without us. We have been trying some new churches out recently because we weren't happy at the place we had settled on and this past Sunday it hit me like a ton of bricks...I don't want to like any church because it would be accepting I am no longer at Mount Hope in Burlington, MA and we may never go back. As blessed as we are in Hawaii, we were also blessed with our church, friends, and life in MA. Dear friends, we feel our lives were so intricately woven with yours due the the experiences we went through together and we miss you all more than anything. As much as we loved night snorkeling, please know Hawaii can never replace you. I am praying everyday that God will help me accept His will in this journey with open arms.

Birthdays birthdays everywhere

Joel and I were born only one day apart so it has been a very fun week of celebrating birthdays. Mine comes first and I love being surprised on my birthday...birthdays are big deals to me and Joel always goes out of his way every year to make mine extra special. When I woke up and went downstairs on Wednesday morning, I found the kitchen decorating with streamers and signs, kids birthday hats and noise makers, and a fun table cloth. It was so neat and the kids LOVED it. The kids helped Auntie Mara bake me a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (my fav!) and we went to P.F. Chang's for my birthday dinner. I use to hate chinese, but somehow my pregnancy with Jesse has changed all that. I got stamping stuff, a new bag, and DVDs for my birthday...and a nap! It was a great day. Joel wanted to go to the beach and have shave ice on his birthday but he still got a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and gummie bears. It was a great day of Hawaii fun and swimming with sea turtles. Then we got a new game from Auntie Amanda and Uncle Caleb-thanks guys...we LOVE it! Any tips of how to win? If only we had the MA crowd to play it with (it is called Puerto Rico if you guys are interested!). Thank you for all the birthday well wishers we have heard from and were a part in making the days even better.


Mommy and Anna at P.F. Chang's

Asher getting ready to help Daddy blow out the candles.

Grandpa and Asher showing the guns with a big sea turtle right behind them.

Grandma enjoying shave ice with the kids.

Happy Fourth of July

The 4th of July was always my favorite holiday growing up because #1. I LOVE fireworks and #2. (the most important point) it meant that my birthday was right around the corner...WOO HOO!! I love birthdays more than fireworks. There is a HUGE 4th of July celebration here on the Air Force base beach every year...a kiddie carnival, music, boat rides, compititions, yummy food, topped off with fireworks in the evening. We did the kiddie carnival and lunch in the afternoon and then took a shuttle back for fireworks. I have never in my life been so close to fireworks. We were right underneath them and it was a great show. Asher had a few tears and kept his ears covered the whole time though he could not take his eyes off the fireworks. Anna could not be pried out of my lap and had her eyes squeezed shut and covered them with her hands the whole time. Funny that the sound didn't bother her but she could not bear to look at them! The one thing I learned this year is that as a military wife living in a military base, it is my DUTY to dress the family in 4th of July garb to support my husband and all those serving around me. Not that I mind an excuse to buy new clothes for the kids! But it was an interesting concept and everyone here is decked out in their supportive clothes. The evening ended with us all on the shuttle around 9:00pm heading back to our car, Jesse screaming, the kids still recooperating and Anna screaming "POTTY MOMMY". She was squirming so bad, I knew she wasn't going to make it. The poor thing tried. Well, I should say poor me because she peed all over my lap. She was so upset. Can any other moms tell me this has happened to them?!? I was sure glad to get a shower at the end of the evening after a hot and sweaty, pee-filled day. Happy 4th everyone!!


The kids proudly wearing their festive outifts.

Asher enjoying the inflatable obstacle course. We couldn't get him away from it.

Anna didn't take to the rides so well. We did get her on some spinning tea cups which she enjoyed until the ride actually started and then the operator stopped the ride to get her off. SOOO all she really wanted was to get her nails and make up done at a little girl day spa set up by the rides. She talked about it the WHOLE morning. Since she didn't want to do the rides, I gave in and let her get a manicure. Here is the little DIVA who walked around all afternoon not touching anything because she didn't want to mess up her nails. How do girls pick up on this stuff?

Here is the whole family eating Mongolian Barbecue on the water. The officer's club does this every Thursday and it is wonderful. If you ever visit us here, be certain that we will bring you here for this treat!

Welcoming more family

This week we have welcomed Joel's parents from Wiscousin and his sister from China. They are all here to visit for 2 weeks, so we have a crowded (but FUN) house and lots of adventures planned.


Asher and Anna greeting Grandma and Grandpa in the Hawaiian way.

They have only been here for 1 day but the first order of business was going to the beach! So here is Grandma enjoying the breeze with Jesse. Jesse loves being outside and is always happy on our adventures.

Auntie Mara readings with Asher and Anna. Both her and the grandparents arrived with plenty of gifts to go around! Auntie Mara brought many books translated both in Chinese and English and some fun oriental outfits. Anna loves her pretty pink dress which I haven't gotten a good picture of yet. Grandma always comes with books and Gap clothing...the kids are always so stylish once she arrives. The kids are learning that the first question to ask visitors is "Do you have any presents for me?". It is terrible! They were tearing open the suitcases as soon as they came off the conveyor belt.

Jesse in his Oriental outfit!