Military tour of Pearl Harbor

Being in the Military definitely has it perks and this tour is one of them. Not only do you not have to wait forever to do the tour, you get to see the whole harbor and learn a lot more about other parts of the attack not just the Arizona. It is a private tour that they do for military and there guests. It was cool to see everything.

I am glad Jack and Carolyn could do the tour with us, Carolyn has been wanting to do it forever but the hard part is Jared has to be there and it is offered only during the week, making it hard of course for Jared to be there!

On the USS Arizona Memorial! It had been about 4 years since I had been at the memorial.

The Mighty Mo aka the USS Missouri where the Japanese signed the surrender.

The list of the men who died on the Arizona.

This was my favorite part. Most visitors to Hawaii don't even know this is here because you have to be military to have access to it. It is the Battleship USS Utah. It was sunk during the attack as well and still has men in it as well. I loved getting to see it from this side and was amazed how much of it is out of water! Pretty cool to see!

Home Sweet Home

As I sit here in this dark and dreary hotel room well only dark because the Kaister is taking a nap I wish I was back here at home. This will always be our first home, where Jared and I first hung out and where we had our first child. We loved our apt and miss it alot. I have been wondering if Kailie remembers living here and wonders why we haven't gone home in awhile? What do you think, do you think babies remember that kind of stuff?

While we lived there I always wanted to do a post to show our home since most of our friends and family were never able to come visit us so I guess late is better than never!!
(Oh and I miss Rainbows, did you know that you really do see rainbows all the time in Hawaii, hence the cool license plates)

(The living room Before)

We put a lot of time and energy into remodeling the whole apt. and so it was really hard for us to move out and have renters come in. Jared did a lot of the remodeling before I met him so I never saw the place when it looked like this. So weird to think that it is the same place.Living room after sans all of Kailie's toys which are everywhere most of the time

One of my favorite things about this room was all the light. Most of the year I kept the door open and let the wind blow through, it was so nice to have that open feeling!

The Kitchen before

The Kitchen After!
Doesn't it seem like a totally different place. I loved this kitchen, even though it was small it never felt crowded.
The dining area, with Kailie on theTable of course!!

Kai's room/slash guest room. This room was definitely tight quarters. That is one thing I am excited about in our new place, more space and a third bedroom!

Our Room!
Yeah we don't have any nice bedding. It is way too hot in Hawaii for bedding, this quilt made by Jared's mom was perfect!

Before

Now on to the bathrooms. Jared and I remodeled both of them after we were married and did everything 100 % ourselves except installing the granite counter tops.

The counter part of our bathroom!

After

The guest bathroom. I love how this one turned out! I have decided that I am a light wood kind of girl. It just lightens the whole room up.

The above picture is the main reason we redid the bathrooms along with the fact that we wanted the whole apt. updated not just half. Isn't this shower door disgusting? Yes and we couldn't get it clean so we just tour it all out and built a new shower. It was ALOT of work, and took us a lot longer than we expected but in the end we loved it. We designed it all ourselves which is pretty amazing since neither of us are super good at that kind of thing.

This was the last thing that we did and by the end we were so so done remodeling and swore that we would never do it ourselves again but now we love that we built it and would do it again.

Oh I miss that shower!!
Well there you have it our home for the past 5 years.

We had a lot of great memories there and will always hold it dear to our hearts.
Some of the things I won't miss about this place are, the horribly annoying speedbumps, having to call the guard shack anytime friends where coming over and just not having more space and a yard for Kai to play in!!

One of the things I will miss the most is this view.

As I would drive up I could see Kai's little head sitting in her highchair. It was so cute, sometimes I would leave on purpose right around meal time just so I could drive up and see her cute little head!!

The Perfect Flower

My goal this week is to finish all the Hawaii posts that I never got including Our Hawaiian Adventure Ending.

I have to say that I am really missing all the pretty flowers in Hawaii. This place is really green and pretty but there is no color besides green.

This is the first Plumeria flower that I had ever seen and I fell in love with them. They are so perfect and smell so good and come in all different colors.

When I first moved to Hawaii, I saw Plumeria's here and there but could not figure out where they grew until a few months later when they started to blossom again. This is the tree that I first discovered plumerias on.
On one of mine and Kai's last run/walk in Hawaii we went around and gathered all the different plumeria's we could find.

Sure are a ton of different ones. This is how the trees look in full bloom and they are like this most of the year. Now do you see what I mean by missing color out here??

What can you do with plumerias?
You make leis for your friends of course. Here Jared and Kai are making some for our dear friends the Bruderer's for their Aloha Oe at church!!

We're moving in!!!

At least that is what the maid, hotel staff and other guests here must think when they see us hauling in dressers, kitchen table, chairs and a play kitchen for Kailie. It feels as though we will be here forever. We have been doing lots of craigslist shopping since we are in need of a few new things and have absolutely nothing else to do.

Hopefully we get in to our place soon cause we are running out of room here!Kitchen table against the wall, chairs in corner and at table. Aren't they ugly? Jared loved the table and chairs. I told them I would give them a year but if I still hate them then it is on to a new set. We are definitely going to reupholster them.

Kai's play kitchen $40, you gotta love craigslist. I know this will get our money's worth over the years!! She loves it already and she doesn't even know what it is really!
Hiding in the closet is a new small dresser we got at an antique fest over the weekend. I am not really an antique person but it is nice and will come in handy!!

In other news we just found out that apparently all of our stuff has not arrived yet even though they said two weeks ago that it had. Even our unaccompanied baggage isn't here yet. Military friends is that common for the UB to take so long. We shipped it on June 14th. So even though we can move into our place this Sunday we will have nothing so we can't really move in. Sooo Frustrating, we are ready to be out of this place!!!!

We have arrived!!

Well after leaving Hawaii, going on a cruise to Mexico, spending a week in Utah, Kai and I have finally arrived in the great state of New York. I must say that this place is completely different from anywhere I have ever lived! We don't have a whole lot to show yet since we are still living in a hotel until next weekend when we can finally move into our new place. And no we haven't gone to the Big Apple yet I just thought this shot was two funny to pass up, it is in the Joseph Smith building in SLC.

Honestly we have been kind of bored just because we don't really know anyone and we live in a tiny little room but we have done a few fun things. Last week we went to the Hill Cumorah Pageant and met up with some great friends. It was so weird to be back there. I was a cast member in the pageant back in 2002 so it was fun to actually get to see it. Ironically, I ran into my companion Amber from when I was in it. Crazy small world.

It was so great to see our dear friends the Taylor's from Hawaii. They live in Maryland now and came up to visit all the sites. Crazy that they only had two kidlets when we first met them and now they will have five.

My old roommate and good friend Teana who is from the area was in town at pageant the same night for her wedding open house so we had a big group. Kailie loved Teana and sat with her half the show.

Saturday we drove up to Teana's parents house 2 hours away for her open house party. It was fun and nice to be around people we know. The drive was really pretty, she lives in the middle of nowhere. The drive home was crazy, there was lightening and crazy rain, it was fun and spooky all at the same time.

We have been trying to figure out what people do for fun around here and definitely one of the the most popular things seems to be eating ice cream. There is literally ice cream stands/shacks on every couple of blocks. Kailie got her very own cone for the first time and loved it, Of course!


Teana taught Kailie a new trick on the swings, she kept doing it all night, You would think she would get sick. Now we need to get a swing set!!!

Kailie 20 months

I have been wanting to do a post on Kai forever but just never got around to it! We have really been loving this fun stage

Funny Stories. Prayer Amen!, getting the diaper

 

 

 Words:

Mommy

Daddy

Thank You

Doggy

Birdy

Cow and Moo

Tick Tock

Uh-ohh

Shh- puts her finger to her mouth

Ouch

More

Wa-wa: Water

One(Fun)-Two-Three

No and Yes

Mine

Cheese

Shoes

sorry

Bubbles

night night

bye bye

ball

amen

Hot

Papa

Nana

Favorite activities:

Takes apart moms wallet and putting it back together

Glucometer

Baby Doll Stroller

Cheerleader

Swimming

Slides

Swinging

Buckles

eat your toes

Sumersault

loves her building cups.

Dance-goes in circles

Folding arms and bowing head for prayer-reminds me sometimes

bath times

loves her blankie-that used to be my baby blanket

climb on everything,

loves to play in car

open and close most doors,

loves stairs

Coloring

Walking on the treadmill

Foods:

Baby food- Peas, squash Sweet pot and corn, any fruit. Cheese, puffs, raisins, No milk, Loves: Strawberries, grapes, clementines sometimes, no juice, yogurt,

Songs:

Head shoulder knees and toes, if your happy and you know it clap your hands, kick feet, hit head.

Working on patty cake almost got the rolling,

Can find:

Head, Hair, eyes, ears, mouth, nose, Shoulder??, knees, toes, hands,tongue, belly button, bum, fingers, hands, arms, legs, teeth, cheeks, chin,

Will help clean things up, and brings things to us. Love to sweep and will clean up water when spilled all on her own

If we say time to eat or bath she will start to try and take off her shirt

Know when poopy, loves when daddy comes home but won't cuddle with him. Every night gives kisses to mom and dad back and forth.

We read a book and then sing 4 songs to her, Jesus wants me for a sun beam, give said the little stream, love at home and lead kindly light. Also loves Aloha oe song.

Has to feed herself and makes huge mess but always cleans up at then end.

Shakes head for yes and no understands us really well!

Diabetes, knows when low and will try to get in diabetes bag.

bad things: bites me- hits and pinchs, throws tantrums:stomps her feet and then walks backwards

Copies everything we do, our little mini me.

Utah Summer Fun!

After our Cruise to Mexico, Daddy had to head to New York to start his Fellowship and look for a place to live for us. Kailie and I drove with Grandma and Grandpa Theler to Utah from California. We stopped in Vegas for the night and stayed with Chris and Jed! Kailie of course had to get into their pool and swim! The girl cannot resist water! Chris, Jantzen, Jordan and Carolyn watch on!

Kai gives loves to Aunt Chris!

We stopped in St. George on our way home and grabbed a quick bite with Kandis and her kids! Kai and Weston both had to put their hand in the same spot!

Me and Kandis crazy as always!

Then it was onto Utah where we got to spend the 4th of July. Kailie running in the nude away from Papa!

 Chilling with Tuffy on the front porch!

 Sometimes he bites cause she pulls his tail!

 Eating lunch while watching Papa pull weeds!

 Getting tickles from Papa!

So tired from all this playing. Fell asleep while eating!

Sadie and Cory and Baby Isaak came and played with us!

 Swinging with Sadie

 Pushing cars with Isaak!

Jenn and Kelly wanted to go to Lagoon so we took our kids. It was their first time riding rides. They  loved it! This was Kai's first ride so she was a little uncertain about what was going on!

 Kelly and Ava, having fun! 

 Kai and Ava fly around!

 Weeee!!

 Maybe I don't like this so much!

 Cousin Love

 Taking a break with Baby Bennett!

 Riding Puff the Magic Dragon. A favorite from when I was little!

  These two are so cute!

 Oh water time!

Kai and Ava about to take flight!

The slow boat ride was their favorite. They loved ringing the bell!

Kai and Mommy had fun and got scared on the haunted ride.

Uncle Kelly helps the kids cool off in the fountain.

Kai checking out Baby Bennett!

I got together with a lot of my High School Friends. Tiff Lebaron, Jill Davis, Monica Mortensen, Andee Bott, Sarah Jarvis, Karen Murphy and Me and Kai. It was so fun to see all of them. We had amazing times together and I am so thankful that I had them as friends during that time. They are amazing women!

Papa, Puttchee, Tuffy and Kai run around Great Grandma Gardner's house!

We headed down to the Freedom Festival Parade. It was pretty crazy and we couldn't find a good spot but I wanted to start Kai on the tradition that I did every year growing up!

Sadie and Cory were brave enough to join me!

These two sure do love each other!

Kai, Ryann and Tracen all hang out on the 4th of July just enjoying the irrigation water an

That night we went over to the Cox's house with Megan and Trevan to watch them do fireworks. 

Trevan, Kaleigh, Megan, Emma!

While we were there we got to go to my cousin Jason's daughter's Cindy's wedding. I can't believe Cindy is old enough to be married. Made me feel so old!

Kai hangs out waiting for the happy couple with her two "other" Grandma's. Aunt Sylvia and Aunt Judy!

Me and my favorite little girlie!

Kai tried to get into the giant temple doors!

Uncle Kelly takes a break with Kai in the shade!

 Jenn and Kelly and Kai!

 Kaylee Pitts and Kai!

 My little cutie!

 The door knobs on the temple are so amazing!

 Love her cute little dress we got from our dear friend Joy Vink!

 Exploring the temple grounds!

Papa Gardner and Uncle J.R. chat under a tree!

 Watching the happy couple take their photos!

 Walking with aunt Judy

 We stopped in the genealogy center of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and played with some of the fun stuff there. 

 I had to get a shot of this. Since this was soon to be our new home state!

 I love to see the Temple

  Kai kept Photo Bombing Aunt Jenn and Uncle Kelly's photo!

The dinner was at the Joseph Smith Memorial building, I love this view of the Temple!

Kai with Cindy and her little Sister Kaylee.  The dinner was so nice and beautiful. Jordan and Cindy are going to be a fun couple!

 Of Course it wouldn't be a trip to Utah without playing with our Theler cousins as well! On the attack for Cole!