A New (Out)Look

So you can see I've changed the blog. I've been blogging for 4 years now and thought it was time for a face lift. "Wai Hale" is just the literal translation of "water house" into Hawaiian (I think). The picture is of Bathtub Beach, Kipu Kai, Kauai - backyard of the family ranch.

I haven't been blogging much lately because things around here have been pretty awful. However, in retrospective, I think that writing about it may have helped a little. I'm not too good at stepping back from a situation and thinking about it objectively. I tend to get bogged down and depressed about it, instead of thinking up a creative solution.

After a particularly bad night last night (2nd peanut butter sandwich supper in a week because Erin falls apart after her nap and I haven't been pro-active enough with meal planning) Alec and I ate something I pulled out of the freezer and talked a bit about what's happening. Then I did my Bible study for the week on 1 John 4. First I read in my commentary:

Once again, John reminds his readers of the old commandment to love one another (3:11) . John recognizes a perfect example in his Master, who had washed the dirty, dusty feet of His disciples and then given Himself into the hands of His opponents to be humiliated and crucified (3:16). One reason for the tremendous impact that Christ's teachings have had on the world is that He never failed to practice what He preached. His glorious example of love motivates us to love one another.

Then I read:

We're not always responsible for our emotions, which can be affected by everything from what we heard on the evening news to what we had for dinner. But we are responsible for our attitudes, which are determined by deliberate choices of our will. Right attitudes result in right actions. If, by an act of our will, we choose to think and act as God commands, He will eventually bring our emotions into conformity and enable us to obediently love not just "with words or tongue but with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:18).

Then I read in 1 John:

⁷Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

I began to feel very convicted of my own deep selfishness. I have a really bad attitude about many of the things that are happening in our family right now. If I could see another's perspective and love regardless of how I feel about the situation, things might be a little more sane around here.

Also, I have decided to plan more (meals, activities, etc.) and set a fairly strict schedule and see how that improves my very cranky daughter. She is so clingy right now - and at the most inopportune times - and it drives my crazy. Some of it is related to hunger, which throws me because Luke used to be that way about sleep. If he was tired, nothing mattered, only that he took a nap. Erin gets irrational when she is hungry so I think I need to wake her from her nap earlier and give her a snack before supper. I think this may be better for all of us too, since my doctor told me I should stay on a diabetic diet (to be proactive in prevention) and regular snacks are part of that.

Well, it's about time to wake the kids and get ready for CBS. I'll be doing some more thinking here later, but here are a few recent pictures for the folks.

Playing with Auntie Em (very old picture)

Coloring Easter eggs at church

Playing cowboy with friends - poor Bessie

Using goggles in the tub - the new fun thing to do

Listening to "Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle" in Luke's bed - lasted about 5 minutes before they were out giggling and playing

Taking the neighbor kids to "Rita's" in the Model A - last weekend was gorgeous

Erin wearing Mommy's gardening hat

Fun with family

OK, so I see by the date on the last post that it's now been a whole month. I'm not really feeling motivated in the blogging department lately, but I suppose I could at least put up some new(er) pictures.

We had a good visit with my parents and sister. It was a bit chilly for this time of year, but we had a few warm afternoons so we took some walks and mom helped me with a little gardening. Here a few pictures of some of the highlights.


Grandma and Erin.


Grandpa and Erin - she really liked to touch his whiskers!


Luke crawled into bed with Grandma one morning and they snuggled and talked.


Luke and Auntie Em out on the floating dock.


Swing cheese.


I LOVE this picture.


I have a picture just like this one of me and Luke when he was 9 months old.


Here's what I ended up doing with the front corner. Several different perennials including salvia, sedum, phlox and daisies.


Lamb's ear on the other end. Luke likes to go out and feel the leaves.


I put some pansies along the front, but they don't seem to be doing anything yet.


Last Saturday we got some toys for the backyard from a friend. There is this little house and another castle-like contraption with a slide, climbing platform and covered sandbox. I hope he spends lots of time out here this summer.

There are lots more pictures. I'll try to post some more in the next couple of days, but no promises.

The best seat in the house

For Erin, there are several MANY spots that are the best, as long as she's being held or jiggled. Examples:

On her tummy being held by Mommy


Being held by Auntie Em, who, alas, has gone back to Illinois (doesn't matter if the holder is also sleeping)


In the bouncy seat, as long as there is a blanket to block out the light


For Luke, the best spots are with Daddy, preferrably with a "stack" (he likes anything that can be stacked) of pillows.