Opus 175 - A Present For Aunt Lissa

In honor of Aunt Lissa's visit, Lissa decided to do some walking. She took a couple of steps earlier this week (on Sunday) and would do the same from time to time this week, but that's all. Then Aunt Lissa came and Lissa decided it was time to get serious about this walking thing. Go Lissa! I'm so proud of you cutie-pa-tutie!

Opus 174 - Aunt Lissa!

Aunt Lissa came to town for about 16 hours. She is helping her friend, Deepali, drive to Indiana (Deepali is started her Ph.D. in Chemistry at Purdue). It was fun to meet Deepali and great to have Lissa here for a little while. The kids loved having Aunt Lissa around again!

Opus 173 - Reading Time

It's no surprise to see Lissa enjoying a good book, but lately Joshua has started to enjoy them as well. It's cute to see the two of them surrounded by books, reading away.

Opus 172 - Window Time

Look who's discovered the window... (Too bad we don't have more space to look out said window)

Opus 171 - Temple Square

We took a little trip to Temple Square on Memorial Day. It was really nice to get out of the house and the weather was just perfect. As always, Lissa and Joshua were very popular everywhere we went. They made friends with an elderly gentleman who we kept running into - each time he would wave and they would wave right back. It was very cute.





Not surprisingly, the kids LOVED playing in the water...






The also enjoyed playing on the blanket in the park. We discovered that they don't like grass (as of now). They would touch it a little, but had no desire to get off the blanket and be on the grass.

Opus 170 - Look What I Can Do!

Opus 169 - Daddy's Little Papoosey

Every time we bathe the kids I start by bathing Lissa while Jason and Joshua play downstairs. Jason then brings Joshua up so I can bathe him and Jason gets Lissa dressed. When Jason comes up the stairs with Joshua he always calls out, "Where's my little Papoosey??" Lissa, who is wrapped in her towel on our bed, gets a huge grin. She just loves her Daddy!

Opus 168 - Monkey See, Monkey Do

Opus 167 - Playing Wii With Daddy

Opus 166 - NICU Reunion

A couple of weeks ago we were able to attend the hospital's annual NICU reunion. It was fun to see a few of the kids' nurses, but probably the best part was seeing all of the multiples. Not one person stared at the kids, asked if they were twins, told us we had our hands full, etc. Instead we got to talk shop with other parents of multiples and just enjoy being "normal" for a little while. Jason also commented on how great it was to see so many children whose lives had been saved because of the amazing people at the NICU.

The kids got to try snow cones and cotton candy for the first time. Lissa wasn't too excited about either of them. Joshua was in HEAVEN :)





One of the nurses we were able to see is Linda. She took care of Lissa and Joshua quite often - she also took quite a few adorable pictures of them.

Opus 165 - Frustration

Many of you know that I've been applying for jobs for awhile now. The only reasons we have survived financially since I stopped teaching are AFLAC and our tax return. That money runs out at the end of this month (that would be 9 more days). We knew this day was coming so I started applying for non-teaching jobs in October. Obviously, since I'm not working, that hasn't worked out. So we decided I should teach next year. Since we made that decision only two jobs have opened in Utah County. I applied for and did not get those jobs. I also applied for a job at my old middle school in Indiana, but didn't get that one either. (It was technically a choral position, but with two general music classes and a band class as well.) The Indiana job would have been the best for us since the cost of living is so much less - add that up with the pay and Jason would have been able to stay home and finish school while I taught. But that didn't happen. It's so frustrating. I'm a good teacher, but I can't find a job. There aren't any and the few that are around don't want me.

Now I don't know what to do. Our money is about to run out and there doesn't seem to be anything we can do. I'm hopefully going to start working at Nu Skin through a temp agency at the beginning of June. That won't pay all of the bills and I'll never see Jason (he'll work 7-3:30 and I'll work 3:30-midnight). We'll need someone to be with the kids for about an hour while I go to work and Jason comes home. I really worry about how we'll survive that. And I don't see any end in sight - we'd do that forever, not be able to pay the bills, and never pay off any debt.

Life isn't looking so bright and cheery at the moment.

Opus 164 - It's Reading Time!

Opus 163 - Connecting With Our Hawaiian Roots

Thanks for the cute outfits Aunt Lissa!*







*Yes, we really do have Hawaiian roots. Although my Dad did most of his growing up in California, his Dad's family has lived in Hawaii for several generations. In addition, my sister, Shelly, and I were born there, as well as two of my uncles and my Grandpa.

Opus 162 - Ring Around the Footsie

Lissa spent about 20 minutes yesterday putting a teething ring on her foot, lifting her foot in the air, then taking it off... over and over again. I've never seen her concentrate on one thing for so long. Joshua is usually very distracting, but not this time :) It was cute to watch her work so hard to get it on her foot. Adding to the cuteness is the fact that she tends to stick her tongue out when she concentrates; just like MJ.

Notice the tongue

Joshua carefully watching, wondering what Lissa's up to.

Joshua looking just like Bronco