Maile's 4th Birthday Party

Maile turned 4 years old the day we came from Hawaii. Thankfully, after a red eye flight, my mom took care of the simple details and made a cake. We brought her home a Rapunzel Barbie as a gift and we had some family over that evening. This was totally good enough for me as far as celebrating her birthday.

BUT of course Maile has been talking about the butterfly party she's going to have with all her friends for months now. So the next week we had another party. This time I actually had to do stuff. Granted it was mostly last minute and I had no idea what I was doing and was extremely nervous cause parties just aren't my thing. I called my sister Becca and got some ideas and quickly threw something together that included butterlies and friends. Munro was such a great helper and actually cut peanut butter and jelly sandwiches into butterfly shapes. What a great daddy!

We did some minimal decorating with a few ballons and streamers.

For our first activity, I had the girls color butterfly pictures with markers and glitter. They loved it. In fact they spent most of their time doing that and didn't want to stop.

Then the kids ate their butterfly sandwiches and fruit with fruit dip.

Then we opened presents

And next we frosted and decorated cookies. The kids loved that and enjoyed eating globs of frosting. We topped Maile's cookie with a #4 candle and sang happy birthday.



Overall it went pretty well. Thanks to Munro and Becca's help, I pulled it off. But I think I'm going to wait 4 more years to do another big birthday party. :)

The worst pain you've ever felt

The other night when Mason was saying his prayers before bed, he said "Please bless that when my mom has the baby it won't hurt so bad." When he was done with the prayer, he commented to me, "Actually mom, it's gonna be the worst pain you've ever felt, but I'm just praying that it will be a little less." Hey, a little less pain is fine with me! Gotta love that kid!

The ever observant Mason!

Conversation I had with Mason today. We had just had our car washed and his Grandpa Murdock's carwash:

Mason: Did Papa G build this car wash?
Mom: Yep
Mason: All by himself!
Mom: No, he probably paid someone to build it.
Mason: Cause Papa G has lots of dollars.
Mom: Yep
Mason: So does that mean Papa G is a Gold Executive?
Mom: No, Papa G doesn't do Xocai.
Mason: You mean he doesn't have a Xocai business!
Mom: Nope
Mason Why?
Mom: Because he chooses not to.
Mason: So even though he KNOWS about Xocai he doesn't have a Xocai business?
Mom: Nope
Mason: Oh.

Then, Munro was home for a lunch break but getting ready to go back to work. The kids were at the table eating lunch and Munro was kissing me goodbye.

Mason: Dad, how come you don't kiss us like how you kiss mom?
Dad: (Pause...) Because mommies and daddies have a different relationship then Daddies and kids.

Good answer!

Hawaiian Vacation

Munro and I recently returned from a wonderful 3rd honeymoon in Hawaii. My mom and sister Sarah were kind enough to watch our kidlets while we traveled. While we missed them everyday, it was great to reconnect again, especially in the place where we first fell in love....Ahhhhhh....sigh.

We've done all the touristy stuff so many times so we mostly skipped that, (Although I couldn't resist a trip to the swap meet.) This vacation was relaxation time with some work with our chocolate business and supporting our amazing team on the Big Island. Munro was also a judge in the BYU-Hawaii business plan competition which he won in 2003. It was fun for him to be on the other side of the table and to serve as a mentor to some awesome entrepreneurial business students.

It was overcast and rainy for most of our stay. But we did have 1 sunny day which we spent on the beach. I dug a hole in the sand then laid on my stomach with my tummy fitting nicely in the sandy cavern. Lying on your stomach can be such a wonderful feeling, especially when you aren't able to do it anymore. Almost as great as floating on my back in one of the Ko Olina lagoons. There were no waves at all...so still and calm. I just floated for a while and watched the clouds glide by....Absolute Heaven!

We spent the majority of our free time looking at homes in the Ewa, Kapolei and Makakilo areas. We really want to move back to Hawaii. There are some beautiful homes...just very pricey. Hopefully if our Xocai business keeps growing as it is, we can justify the extra expense and enjoy paradise year round. I didn't take many pictures of us. But here are a couple. Aloha!

My Rockin Music Video-"Eat Xocai Baby"

It's been a year in the making...."Eat Xocai Baby" is the long awaited music video Munro and I made about our Rockin Healthy Chocolate Business. Now you can get a better idea about what it is Munro actually does for a living. And hey...if anything, this is good for a laugh. Starring our family and Brooklyn, the Xocai Baby.

Two Peas

Mason and Maile have become inseperable lately. They constantly declare they are "best friends" and when Mason's at school, Maile's constant question is "When are we gonna get Mason?" It's gotten to the point that when Mason isn't around, Maile is completely inhibited. She's afraid to play with other kids and cries when she's in public situations. Having Mason with her is like a security blanket and she can do anything and be completely herself if he's around. It's totally cute on one hand, but worries me a bit too. Mason is his same outgoing self no matter what. But he definitely has Maile under his wing and takes extra special care of her especially in public and around other kids. I'm glad my kids like each other so much. It really is a blessing. They're both excited about the new baby. But I am interested to see if 3 will be a crowd.

Real Men do the Haka

Munro and I dated and were engaged for a total of 4 months in Hawaii before we flew home during Christmas break to meet each other's families and get married. It was pretty crazy meeting your new family just before joining them. But I totally lucked out in the awesome in-law department. I really didn't know any of them very well, but one of my fondest memories of my new brothers (keep in mind Munro has 7 brothers) was when they all ripped off their shirts and performed the Haka at our reception. They had a crash course lesson from my little brother Jacob before they performed. It brought tears to my eyes when I saw this haole rendition but I felt loved and accepted into my new family. How lucky am I to have 2 Amazing families!

Highlights from Our Wedding 2002

Here's a little video from the happiest day of my life. Ro and I were married on Jan. 2, 2002.

30 Things About Me and My Valentine

1. How long have you been together?
7 years 5 months

2. How long did you know each other before you started dating?
About 1 week

3. Who asked who out?
Munro didn't have my number or know which dorm I lived in. So he just picked a dorm and asked the RA if I lived there. I did! So he asked me out.

4. How old are each of you?
We're both 31. I'm 2 months older.

5. Whose siblings do you see the most?
We see mine more since some live right next door.

6. Do you have children together?
2 children and 1 squirmy baby in my tummy.

7. What about pets?
No pets anymore. I accidently killed the fish and we sold our dog :(

8. Did you go to the same school?
No

9. Are you from the same town?
No but close. I'm from Provo, he's from Orem.

10. Who is the smartest?
We are both pretty smart I guess, just in different areas.

11. Who is the most sensitive?
Definitely ME!

12. Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Olive Garden and Los Hermanos

13. Where is the farthest place you have traveled as a couple?
Grand Cayman

14. Who has the craziest exes?
Probably me.

15. Who has the worst temper?
We both have very mild tempers and have never yelled at each other.

16. Who does most of the cooking?
Me.

17. Who is more social?
Munro

18. Who is the neat freak?
Munro

19. Who is more stubborn?
I'm very stubborn and Munro is Mr. Humility

20. Who hogs the bed?
Neither, but I probably hog the blankets.

21. Who wakes up earlier?
Munro wakes up around 5am! I get up around 8.

22. Where was your first date?
In Hawaii. First date was with a Group and we saw "The Others". Our first single date was to L&L's and then we picked plumerias off some trees and made our own leis, hung out at Munro's house, probably walked on the beach that night too.

23. Who has the bigger family?
Munro, he has 9 kids in his family, I only have 8.

24. Do you get flowers often?
Not a ton, but he gets me flowers on special occasions, or when he's hurt my feelings :)

25. How do you spend the holidays?
Normally a little with his family and a lot with mine.

26. Who is more jealous?
I'm more jealous, but I like being jealous...it's a passion feeling.

27. Who does the laundry?
I do the laundry

28. Who is better with the computer?
We're both pretty good at it, but recently I think Munro's skills have surpassed mine...if that's even possible!

29. Who drives when you are together?
Probably 50/50. I get sick in the passenger seat and I'm a terrible back seat driver...so just so he can have peace, Munro lets me drive a lot.

30. Is your family still growing?
As we speak...and if I'm lucky, I'd like to have maybe 1 or 2 more...but we might have to adopt. :)

25 Random Things About Me

1. Most people would consider me shy and quiet. But once you get to know me, good luck on getting me to shut up.

2. Growing up, I was teased a lot for being a "Molly Mormon" and "Goody Two Shoes."

3. I'm always being asked what my nationality is. The answer is "American." If you want to know what my ethnicity is, I'm Japanese Caucasion with some native American mixed in and possibly Hawaiian. It's hard to know for sure since my great grandmother was kind of wild and crazy :)

4. I'm the oldest of 7 kids and have 1 older half-brother.

5. When I was 15 I competed in the Miss Teen Utah Pageant. It was a great opportunity to break out of the box I had myself in and be whatever I wanted to be because No one knew I was shy and quiet. I placed in the top 10 and was chosen to be Miss Congeniality. The next day I went back to school and sat by myself at lunch.

6. I've struggled with various health problems all my life and in 2006 was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph system. I went through 4 months of chemotherapy and 1 month of radiation. I lost all my hair but successfully eliminated the cancer. I've been in remission for 2 1/2 years.

7. I published a short story when I was 12 years old after entering the Young Author's conference. The story was called "The Last Samurai" and then years later, Tom Cruise starred in a movie with the same title...but very different story :)

8. I served an LDS mission in Tokyo Japan and this was the last place on earth I wanted to go. But I ended up loving it and gaining a great appreciation for my culture and my ancestors.

9. I'm a computer geek. I love to make and edit movies on my iMac, design web pages and do other desktop publishing projects.

10. I composed music with lyrics and produced a CD which I sold to raise money to pay for my mission.

11. Before I married Munro, I was engaged to another guy 3 different times and lost 3 separate engagement rings...I guess it wasn't meant to be. (I've never lost the ring Munro gave me.)

12. I met Munro at a Laundromat/Tanning salon. His family owned it and I went in to go tanning before moving to Hawaii. I met him briefly, shook his hand and that was it. The next week I moved to Hawaii to attend BYU-H and ran into him on the beach with the sun shining gloriously behind him. We were married 4 months later.

13. I've never tasted alcohol, smoked a cigarette, drank coffee, done illegal drugs or been arrested.

14. I have 5 tattoos.

15. Each tattoo is the size of a mole and was strategically placed to receive radiation in exactly the right areas.

16. I lived in the Cayman Islands and survived a direct hit from a CAT 5 hurricane which devastated the island.

17. Once I start working on a project, I obsessively work on it until it is completed. I hate half finished things.

18. I love bubble gum ice cream, junior mints, and dill pickles. (but not neccesarily all together.)

19. I hate to exercise.

20. When I went on my mission, I had 2 brothers who were out at the same time, so my parents had 3 missionaries out. Then when I got married, a brother and a sister also got married the same month, so my parents had 3 weddings in 30 days.

21. I love history, politics and current events. I voted for Barack Obama.

22. I'm SCUBA certified.

23. I have a keen business sense, enjoy accounting, and have been told I have a dry sense of humor.

24. Most people think I'm in my mid to lower twenties. If my kids aren't with me I'm still occasionally mistaken for an 18 year old. I turn 32 this March! (When my mom was 32 she had her 7th child!)

25. Nothing brings me greater happiness than my husband and 2.5 children.