Some Maui pix

Here are some random pictures from our fabulous spring break in Maui!!!
The trip really helped get the girls over the funk they had been in since Layla's birth. It was very relaxing, like always. Make sure you get to the end of this post and watch a little video clip Mark made!

I love this girl! She is so cuddly, my most cuddly baby by far.

Rare photo of her awake

My MIL would sit with her on the lanai and watch for whales.

Ava on the beach

Layla's blessing day--random placement I know. She wore my blessing dress as the other girls did. I went on eBay and was able to find two other identical dresses so each girl can have their own. Can you believe that? The original dress is 30 years old!

Mia on Ka'anapali Beach

Layla in the cabana on Ka'anapali beach. I believe I am chatting with Leslie on my cell phone while I take this picture.

Photographic proof that Layla went to the beach

After Ava nearly drowned in a "washing machine" wipeout, we enrolled her in a private lesson with a local named Kekoa. Check out his prodigy!

BTW, I have LOVED everyone's comments about Twilight. I plan on reading book number 4. It is my BYU alumni/Mormon mom duty.

Alicia Lindsay asked what was on my bedside table:

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

(They are making a movie of this starring Rachel McAdams (The Notebook))

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier.

(Starts extremely slow, but picks up.)

Interred with Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carroll. This is DaVinci Code a la Shakespeare.

You are all going to hate me...

..but...

I really did not like the Twilight series. Okay, I did like the first book, and I thought Jacob was the best part of the second book. I felt obligated (I also felt obligated to see all three Star Wars prequels, and the LOTR trilogy) to read the third book and was so relieved when it was OVER!

This is why I did not like it: I thought Bella was WAY too dramatic. Puh-lease, the atrial fibrillation with every kiss, and the clumsiness, and the drama. I guess I was like that at 16, but at 30 I want common sense and a good sense of gravity in a main character.

Now that you have all started mentally composing your comments and prepared to remove me from your links list, just know that I will probably see the movie and read any sequels or her new "adult" series. Just know that the universal love being proclaimed across the blog world really doesn't extend to here. Anybody with me on the drama part?!?

Just Another Day in Paradise

I took Ava snorkeling off the beach yesterday. It is a spot we have gone to for years, with a million of the indigenous fish and sea turtles. I have snorkeled this spot at least 2o times plus two scuba dives so I really know the ropes. Ava and I entered the water and got comfortable. We saw lots of Moorish Idols and Humuhumus. Then we ventured around the wall to really see some amazing fish. However, I began to really look at the sea floor, about 35 feet down and started to think about sharks, eagle rays, and even humpback whales. I really started to panic, envisioning one of these creatures making a one in a million chance of visiting this location. I did not want to worry Ava so I casually suggested we return back to shore. She agreed and I think I broke swimming world records swimming back to the beach. I must be getting old.

Layla made her first poolside appearance at the Marriott pool. We sat on a lawn chair next to some 15 year old "prostitots". I must be getting really old. I wanted to tell them to put more clothes on.

Denial, Grief, Anger, Acceptance

I am a horrible blogger. Granted, I have been a little busy the past 41 days. I have a digital camera full of pictures of my gorgeous Layla and lots of other fun things, but I can't seem to get to posting them. I can't even post pictures now because we are in MAUI and I don't have my downloading cord thingy.

We blessed Layla on March 9th. It was a double-dip weekend with our niece, Laura Merrill, being baptized, so we were joined by Mark's mom, brother Scott and family from Lehi, my dad (Mom was with her ailing mother in IL) and the Merrills in Chandler and Mesa. It was a great blessing with Mark getting choked up. He is usually pretty stoic so it was touching to see him show emotion.

Poor Layla has a scorching case of baby acne and I was kinda wary of her for a few days. It is slowly clearing up. She is getting so fat too. I wish it was in proportion to me getting skinny, but it is going to take some gym time.

Since we could not go to Maui at Christmas, we had to reschedule before April 15th. I was nervous to bring a 5 week old on vacation but it has been great. Layla mainly hangs around the house sleeping and Mark and I take turns going on adventures with the girls in 3 hour increments. The whales are here in abundance and we have seen many breaches, spouts, and whale tails.

Ava and Mark went surfing yesterday. We put a life jacket on her and Mark pushed her into a wave. She was doing great until a second wave came from the side and knocked her off the board, and flipped the board over on top of her head!

It rained like crazy today so we have been homebound.

I will add pictures when we return on Sunday. Hello to all my friends out there!