Our Family

Our most recent family picture!

1st Day of school

Since my kids are on year round school it feels like a return from track break. The boys were very excited and were happy to see some familiar faces in their classes. Luke's first comment was, "Oh. no! There are two evil girls in my class"!

One last hurrah before school!

I thought 6 weeks sounded like a considerable amount of time for the kids to have off of school. It went by sooo fast. On Monday the boys start school and the routine will begin again (of course that doesn't mean the fun will stop). My friend Amy and her two girls joined us at Newport Beach this past week and the kids had a blast! They dug in the sand, made sand castles, played in a sand speed boat and went boogie boarding.

The Singing Barber!

The other night I spent the night at my parents house with the kids. To make things quick and easy we just scooted two of their ultra comfortable couches together for a quick bed.

I woke up to hear Abby singing, "wiggle your baby toes, wiggle my baby toes" from her favorite video "Baby Songs". I quickly turned around and Abigail showed me with a big grin some small trimming scissors. I quickly ran my fingers through my hair and found a lock of my hair in my hand. Luke woke up and exclaimed, "She cut my hair too", followed by Mark who said the same thing. Apparently Abigail had gone around the couch and sang while she trimmed everyones hair. She also trimmed her own hair. My first thought was, "I am so glad the scissors weren't bigger"!

Family Night!

For some reason this family night was one of the best! The Lesson was given by Luke who decided to share some of his favorite scriptures and tell why they were his favorite. Then Luke helped Mark share his favorite scripture story. Abigail said that her favorite story was about Jesus.

Next I told the kids that it was "kids choice for dessert", they could pick any dessert they wanted. They were excited to go to the frozen yogurt bar down the street. The kids love to put on the unlimited toppings.

We brought the dessert home and played games. First we played Dora Dominos, then a Pirate card game and finally UNO.

The Family is of God- make sure volume is on low

This is one of my favorite songs and I love to hear the kids sing it. It is pretty loud, just make sure your volume is on low.

Thank you so much, I love it!

Thank you Heather and Rebecca! You sure cheered up Abigail with your thoughtful gift!

If you chance to meet a frown...

Make sure your volume is on low for these videos....

All Adult Getaway!!!

Newport Beach

We just had our first ever Ishii Family All Adult Getaway. I was waiting to see who would blog about it first in the family but since no one has yet...I am forced to come out of my early Blog retirement. The guys got these sweet hats from a surf competition at Newport Beach. We are just showing them off. The hat worn by Kendra was won by my brother Ian when he won their push up competition. That's right!
Kendra, Kate, Amy and Lorelle

My sister Kate and Sister in Law Merrilee bumping bellies. They are due 2 weeks apart.
Ben and Merrilee
Merrilee, Kendra, Kate and Amy

Kendra
Denver and Lorelle

Lorelle

Serena
Ian and Chad

Brad and Kate
Denver and Lorelle
After dinner Kendra and Dave met us at Seth's Jazz Concert!
We had connecting hotel rooms and so at night we would all gather in a room and stay up talking. Another room would serve as the game room where people stayed up at all hours playing "Ticket to ride".

Merrilee and Seth
Game: " Ticket to ride"
Mom and Dad

Build a Bear

Why is it that dogs look so funny in clothes?  

Mark wanted to dress up Lucky in his Build a Bear clothes. 

This part is for Mark......If Lucky could talk what do you think he would say?

 

Marks Best Birthday Ever!

Mark finally got the dog he has been asking for!  

My Mom gave him all the supplies for a dog...dog dishes...toy...treats.  

The plan was to throw him off a little and then surprise him.  

He was inspecting the gift from my Mom when I brought in the package.

Lorelle trained this dog for almost 6 months!  He is such a good dog!  

One night Mark fell asleep in the dog pen.  Lucky was asleep 

with his head resting on Mark's back.  Lucky cried 

for an hour when I carried Mark upstairs.

   Now everyday when I pick Mark up from kindergarten the first thing 

he says to me is, "Did you bring my dog"?  

Thank you to Kendra!

Kendra,

Abigail stared and studied the funny card you sent her, while eating her applesauce.  Look how happy you made her.

Thanks!

It's good to have a big brother

Another sweet picture.  When Luke has a hard time falling to sleep at night he usually goes in to Abby's room and reads her books till they both fall asleep.  It is funny because this is the boy that said he only wanted little brothers and now he absolutely adores his little sister.

A Thirty Thousand Dollar Scorpion Sting!

This is Abigail sleeping peacefully in her new room.

This is Abigail the next day after being stung by a scorpion.

Abigail ended up being in ICU for 2 days, while the poison worked through her body.

I stayed with Abigail but her most favorite visitors were Grandma and Daddy.  Grandma even stayed the second night here with me to take shifts with Abigail.  

Abigail is 100% better and her brothers promise to keep her safe from scorpions.  

That experience is something I hope we never repeat.  

We are so happy to have her back.  

Sharing

This is such a cute picture and yes, Luke does have whiskers in this picture.   This is what happens when the doctor puts your 8 yr old son on bed rest for a week (He is going back to school tomorrow).  Luke and Abigail really get along so well, I love it!

Lego Land and Laguna Beach Slideshow

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Goodbye to my sweet foster children

It has started off to be a semi-depressing day.  My foster children go home today after school.  It has been 6 months!  Just the thought of having no more influence on the kids makes me sad.  This morning I got a call from the Mom and first thing she said was, "Are you so excited?".  (Well, no not really, was what I was thinking)  I replied, "I think it will be good for the kids".   

Here is an overview of my day so far...

7:00 am   Wake up and make the baby a bottle.  Takes her forever to suck it down.   Jeremiah and Luke are playing on the wii.  

7:30 am It is time for the kids to turn of the wii, get dressed, clean their rooms and make their beds.  

8:00 Just finished feeding the baby.  (Such a slow eater)   She drinks 6 of the 8 oz.   

I check on the progress in the kids room and there really is none.  I am not sure what they were doing the whole time.

8:45 Time for school, however the kids are now jumping on the trampoline.   I put Luke's lunch in his backpack and notice a project (a blank music record that we were supposed to fill in with pictures, a collage of his life) that was supposed to be completed and turned in today. Luke breaks down in hysterics thinking he will get booted out of G.A.T.E for having a missed assignment.  One that he could not do without my help.  It has been a crazy 2 weeks and I forgot to help him.  I feel bad and think in the back of my mind, "Things will get so much easier once the kids are gone".  While I am calming Luke down, Jeremiah comes in from jumping on the trampoline and cries, "I have a headache and can't go to school today".  

9:09 The school bell rings at 9am.  Needless to say they are all late, again.  We all get in the car, no Jeremiah.  I go back in the house and find him upstairs determined to stay home.  We finally get him in the car and drive to school.  I walk in and check them in, Jeremiah cries that he wants to go home with me.  Mark and Jeremiah walk to class and then I do the paperwork to withdraw Jeremiah from school stating that this is his last day and drive home.

I have to add this.....  A few things I will not miss.... 

-Changing 14 diapers a day, sometimes more sometimes less.

-Cleaning up Zuri messes, on average it would be 5 a day.  I don't know how one child can get into so much, so often.  Today's mess was chucking a glass from the island counter to the floor.  Why?  To watch it shatter?  I don't know.  I, know better than to leave breakables out, I am not sure who did leave it out.  Usually it is things like pouring out the rice container, unraveling toilet paper, dumping out people's cups, bowls etc.  Spitting her food on the floor, Putting her hands in her messy diaper and then putting those same hands on other things.  etc, etc, etc....

-The boys fighting or arguing, the whining and screaming.

-There are a few more but those are the big ones.

I never would of survived the past 6 months without......

My amazing husband

Both of our families giving endless support

My sweet friend, personal assistant, nanny, support system Liz 

Great friends like Laurie and Holly to help out 

I will miss.....

Raising baby Mika

Giving Zuri snuggles and watching her and Abby play.

Seeing how Zuri loves having Chad be her daddy.  

Hearing Zuri yell, "Papa!" when we visit Grandma and Grandpa.

Getting hugs from Jeremiah

Watching the children pray and learn the gospel

Many of you have asked me, "What are you going to do when the kids go home"?

Well, I am not going to be late, more than I'm on time for school.  

I am going to help my kids with their school projects.

I am going to have more time to snuggle my children and have more one on one time with them.

I will keep my house clean for longer periods of time.  

I will finally be able to have some time to read the books on my list.  

I will be able to read my scriptures in peace.

I will be able to fulfill my calling in church.

I will be able to exercise.  (I have taken a 6 month break, that is true sacrifice for me) 

I will be able to shop without getting a babysitter.

Oh, there is plenty that I am very excited to do.  Hopefully, I can focus on those things as I take them home today.  

Cupcakes!

Tonight's family home evening dessert is......chocolate cupcakes!

Here are my fine cupcake helpers, Abigail and Jacob.  

Jacob is one of her most favorite friends.  

(Right now, Abigail is pointing to the 

computer screen and saying, "Jacob, funny"!)

The hardest part was keeping their fingers (and tongues) 

out of the batter.