family updates

~Pregnancy countdown> I'm in my 34th week now. Somedays I feel like a super woman and can cook four different dishes while doing laundry and cleaning :) ... most days I'm just tired and sleepy. So far I've only gained 22 lbs, but I waddle like I'm carrying 60 lbs more thanks to the great goddess Varicosa! (varicose veins :).

~MJ update> today I took MJ to his Reading and Math screening for Kindergarten. He did GREAT; thanks to a good Pre-K program, influential friends, and a Mommy & Daddy who loves and supports him (pat in da back ;)) The moderator said that his Kindergarten teacher will be lucky to have him in her class. He'll be starting school in a couple of weeks. MJ just started his 3rd season in soccer.

~and our Tino> I wish I were announcing potty training success here, but NOPE! That's Nyle's favorite thing to say when we ask him if he needs to go number 2 in the potty, NOPE! He is totally milking the last weeks of being the baby in the family :). We know it will happen, it may not be as soon as we want him to do it but it will. Next week he starts his soccer clinic, he also has legal ownership now of MJ's smaller bike, he loves racing with his brother. We've been tending bruises, scrapes and cuts almost everyday, that's how active he is, our little bruiser.

~Mike is starting a new graduate program with NDIC; so definitely we'll be in this area for at least another couple of years. Congrats also for making E-6.

~Here are some of our latest pictures:




The newest base pool - Heritage Park. It's a friggin' awesome pool and we get free access, how awesome is that!

Gramma Suzi came to visit

1,2, 3 jump MJ! This summer MJ learned to swim on his own. Shame on me! My 5 year old son knows how to swim already; and I can't....

Nyle's turn to jump. Look at the face of happiness.

So Mike took off the training wheels on MJ's new bike and also showed him(middle photo) how to do it. MJ chickened out; well I did and asked Mike if we can wait till next year.

MJ's birthday with his friends in the backyard.

MJ's birthday with the Brevigs, Addingtons, and Salisburys.

The Ricklings and the Brevigs; Aunty Rhonda and Family came to visit.

Boys and bikes..... boys with toys.

my baby shower

I'm a third time mom but this was my very first baby shower. Mike and I were really excited and grateful about it. Big Thanks to Shelly, Monique and Shilae who team-worked for the shower and to all our wonderful friends who came, it really means so much to us. We can't wait for Naia to use all the presents she got, she is one lucky baby.

MJ Briggs turns 5

Five years ago, we welcomed our first born, MJ Briggs Nahiolea. I know it's such a cliche to say we can't believe how time went by so fast but it's true. He is getting ready to start Kindergarten soon and is pretty excited about it. We love you MJ and thank you for being an awesome big brother to Nyle and even to Naia ...

Niagara and Palmyra Vacation

One of the things that made us excited about living in the East Coast is being close to Niagara and Palmyra. We promised ourselves to take a mini-vacation as soon as we had the chance. So we did! We timed it right to go during the Hill Cumorah Pageant season; here are some pictures we took from our trip: We took this photo while aboard the Maid of the Mist; The Canadian Falls

The American Falls at night. We didn't cross to the Canadian side. We heard that the view of the Falls from there is more spectacular. We can't wait to see that the next time we go.

Mike took this photo while we were waiting for the pageant to start. Sunset at Palmyra

The closest you can get to the American Falls.

The American Falls up-close

Mama and I got close enough to get soaked.

Aboard the Maid of the Mist.

Mama and I at one of our tour stops.

Our matching Niagara sandals.

A restored replica of the Smith family log home; it is built on original foundation.

The Sacred Grove

Joseph Smith room where the Angel Moroni appeared to him

The Smith Family farm

Palmyra Temple - West View

The Hill Cumorah Pageant - Abinadi Scene From the top of Hill Cumorah looking West; Pageant seating below
An original; Book of Mormon first printing

Inside the Grandin Press shop; Palmyra, NY

Things we've been doing...

At the top of June, MJ bid Sayonara to PreK . This picture was taken during their class party with his teachers. We've been getting ready for Kindergarten. We're still working on the waking up early part. Our boys are still in the Pacific Time zone :), they normally wake up around 10 AM.

Early in June also, MJ's 2nd season in soccer concluded. Notice the trophies, MJ got those from playing both seasons but Nyle plays with them like their GI Joes and he takes naps with them too. One of them lost it's head already.This coming Fall MJ will be playing soccer again while Nyle joins the clinic.

Another picture of Nyle taking a nap. This one was during one of Mike's softball game. This boy surely knows how to chill. He can and will take a nap whenever, wherever he wants too.

Since the base pool opened for the summer season. We've been going at least twice a week.

Sorry Madonna, this is my A. Rod :)! I took this photo of Mike during his last Softball game.

He was quite disappointed with how the game went and how he played. Considering what his back went through the day before , he did a great job like he always does.

Go M. Add !!

4th of July- We started our celebration with a picnic at the park with some good friends. We told everybody that we're gonna go to the parade field for the fireworks but we encountered some "weather difficulties" so we opted to watch the fireworks from our front yard. Here are a couple of photos taken during that day . MJ picked which photos to upload. He likes the one with Nyle and his Moon Boots and him and his best friends eating their 4th of July sweets.

All about Nana Erma

(I'm just adding stuff to this blog, last time I just posted pictures and captions so I'll be saying things here that happened after July 10 which is the date of this blog). The last time we saw Mama was 3 years ago when she came to Hawaii for Nyle's birth. Now that I'm having another baby, she's here again and this time she's staying for 6 months. For those of you who are not familiar with the Filipino culture, this is quite normal :). It's sweet to have her here. She's having a great bonding time with the boys. As she reminds me and shows the boys the Filipino ways, she's also learning about the "Americans". The other day she learned that Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich are not 2 different sandwiches. As we were preparing for our trip, she asked me what she can do to help, so I told her if she can make PB and Jelly sanwiches. She did make a PB sandwich and a Jelly sandwich. It was really cute! When Mama first got here she thought all our friends look the same. Now she understands why Americans say all Filipinos look the same. She told one of my friends how her Grandpa(my Great-great grandpa) was like a Master Circumciser in his days. I know she mentioned about Machete, bettle nut and spitting. I had to tell my friend that they do it in a civilize way now :) but hey I'm a great grand daughter of a Master Circumciser! Anyhow, we love having her here and we're grateful that she has this opportunity to stay with us. Nana/ Mama Erma is finally here! We took her to her very first MLB experience/ Orioles vs the Royals

Camden Yards with her little apos waiting for the game to start

Nana with MJ at the Bombers last game of the season. I assured her that she wasn't the jinx :).