Gonzalez Adventures...Hauka'i

2011-07-29T23:14:00.000-10:00

The Beach House: Moana Surfrider

Waikiki Sunset

Diamond Head Hike

2011-07-29T19:03:00.001-10:00

Zek and Daddy stopping for water

Sam and Beto still on the way up

Sue, me, Mom, and Hanna - we made it to the top!

Mom and Geni in the tunnel

The view - gorgeous!

The view of the lighthouse

Perfect sign for Zek to stand under

The Fab Five

The dark tunnel

Beto climbing the spiral staircase

Cynthia stuck in the tree!

Our 3 babies

The 7 cousins

The oldest cousin - Hanna

Dave climbing the tree

Geni girl

After the hike we headed over to Mac 24/7 for some pancakes - We've never seen such HUGE pancakes and wow... were they yummy!!

We actually bought the kids their own pancakes not knowing that all 5 of us could have shared just one!

Our "Stay-cation"!!

2011-07-29T18:01:00.000-10:00

This summer we decided to stay on island and spend our money having fun with our family visiting from California! It's a lot cheaper than buying 5 tickets! Oscar's sister Cynthia, brother Beto and Beto's girlfriend, Samantha stayed with us for over 2 weeks. This time overlapped with my brother David, his wife Sue, and their 4 kids, Hanna, Jonny, Ruth, and Abbie also visiting and staying with my parents. Then Cynthia stayed an extra 2 weeks to help out with the kids while I had training for work. The month actually went by very fast and we miss everyone so much! Back to reality!! This is the only picture I could find that had all of us (minus my dad) when we hiked up Diamond Head!

My Birthday...another year older...

2011-05-22T17:39:00.001-10:00

For my birthday this year I decided that I wanted to go to an Indian restaurant with the family. I love trying new things (especially food!) so we walked to Maharani and then over to Bubbies for Mochi Icecream! It was a wonderful night. Thanks to my wonderful husband and my parents I also got the BendTec! Green Smoothies every morning!!!

Starting Again - Yea!

2011-04-03T02:26:00.002-10:00

It has been over a year since I've written a post here at our Adventures! Reason... uh, I don't really have one. Maybe because of Facebook, I've felt like I've connected with long lost friends and have been keeping up with family and friends that way. But...then I think about what the blog means to me and it makes me sad that I didn't keep it up and feel like I lost a year of my memories. I know some of you read the blog and look at the pics that I post, but mostly I do it for my own selfish reasons of remembering my life. Anybody that knows me knows that I have a terrible memory and the blog not only allows me to post pictures of my memories but my thoughts and feelings as well!

The great thing about our blog is that I started it about 3.5 years ago when we moved our family to Hawaii. So, now when I go back I see our life from the new beginning. It was a great way to let our family and friends back in CA see what we are doing and how big the kids are getting. Here are just some things that took place at the beginning of this blog...

I was pregnant with Zek. He was born at Queens and in June of this year he will be 3!

Genesis was only 18 months old and still in diapers! She barely had any hair!

Ki was 3 years old and totally in his zone - a place full of trees to climb, bugs to play with, and warm oceans to swim in.

Well, here is a trip down memory lane from when we first started the blog. As far as the year that was forgotten - it won't be for long - I'll try to make it up little by little!

New Kayak

2010-09-24T21:53:00.000-10:00

Zek's Board Ride

2010-04-25T21:22:00.003-10:00

Geni Singing!

2010-01-18T19:01:00.001-10:00

The 3 little Pigs

2010-01-18T18:52:00.001-10:00

Tantalus Part 1

2010-01-12T20:22:00.001-10:00

Always Hard to say Good-Bye!

2010-01-10T23:17:00.007-10:00

On the last night that Mom and Dad were here, we took them out to Shorebird Restaurant. It's a very nice restaurant right on the beach where you actually bbq your own meat. Your raw meat comes on a plate and you go over to the big bbq where you talk around the grill - different atmosphere and fun for a change. As you can see from the pictures, the kids were out by the end of the night and we had to carry all three of them home (walking - good thing we don't live too far). The kids had such a good time with Grandpa and Grandma and miss them already. We love you guys!

Christmas Cookies

2010-01-10T23:02:00.003-10:00

2010-01-10T22:50:00.004-10:00

........................................Before the race......................................

...........................................After...............................................

HONOLULU MARATHON!!!

2010-01-10T22:16:00.004-10:00

The main reason for my parents' visit this time was the marathon. Ever since I ran cross country in highschool, my dad (who was also my trainer) and I always said we would do a marathon together someday. Don't ask me why we didn't do it when we were both in our prime but at least we can say that we did it and finished still standing! Eventhough my dad has run many, this was Oscar and mine's first marathon and it was very exciting! Oscar's pace is much faster than mine and he did awesome with a finishing time of 4:25. That's really good for not training as much as they say we should. My dad stayed the whole race with me and we finished together holding hands (running and cheering) past the finish line. We did it in 5:45. This is a memory I'll never forget and I'm so grateful that I have my dad to do this with. Running has always been something we have had in common (among many things) but this special bond is really unlike any other. I thank God for my dad!

Oscar's running buddies at work also ran the marathon and it was great to have a group of friends all there at the finish line, encouraging and sharing in the experience together. It was the first of many marathons for the group. Sign us all up for next year!

Mile 6 - Mom brought the kids down at 6:00 am to see us run through Waikiki - so far, feeling great!

Getting ready to pass the finish line! Very happy and still running :)

Us - after the race! Very happy we are done and actually not feeling too bad!

The group - Dennis (kneeling down), Ivan, Ed, Mike, Oscar, Daddy, and me. A few others are not in the picture but congrats to EVERYONE!!

Geni's Christmas Program at School

2010-01-10T21:59:00.004-10:00

I can't believe my little girl is growing up so fast. I always tell her not to grow up but to stay little and she reassures me that even when she's big, she'll still be little! Well, she had her first Christmas program at her preschool and I was so proud of her! She continues to amaze me at how smart and self -confident she is. She is kinda that shy, quiet one who just absorbs everything in but then when you get to know her, she is so silly and full of life. I look forward to seeing how God will continue to shape her and use her. How exciting for a mom (and Grandma) to watch her children grow up in God's love!

Northshore

2010-01-10T21:03:00.004-10:00

We love to go to Northshore so it was perfect that Pipeline Masters was going on when my parents came. We hung out watching big waves, stopped for lunch, grabbed a few chocolate covered pineapples, and then went to the Christmas Tree Farm to pick out our tree. It was a lot of fun having Grandpa and Grandma here to pick out the tree and then decorate it together. It actually made me feel like a little girl again - My Daddy was stuck putting on the lights, just like I remember it!

My Parents Come for a Quick Visit

2010-01-10T20:05:00.002-10:00

My Mom and Dad came again but this time for a quick visit - only 5 days! The main reason... The Honolulu Marathon. We did a couple of other fun things while they were here - of course. This was my mom's 7th time visiting in two years! She already has her ticket to come out again in a month!!!

Christmas Aloha

2010-01-10T16:56:00.007-10:00

The "Lighting of the Tree" at the Honolulu City Lights is becoming a Christmas tradition for us. This is our second Christmas in Hawaii and the second time we went to the parade. The kids are still little enough to enjoy and appreciate all the marching bands and Santa decorations! You wouldn't think that Hawaii is very Christmas-y but actually people really get into things here. The story is a little different with Santa coming over on a canoe and of course wearing shorts and slippers but never the less, there is always a parade or two. We "ran into" our dear friends, the Fongs which is always nice. Roger entered his wreath into the contest (he should have won!)

Thanksgiving 2009

2010-01-10T15:37:00.002-10:00

Well, this year for Thanksgiving, we just stayed home! Last year we made the trip out to see family in California but this year, it was just the 5 of us. Besides missing our family, we actually had a wonderful time. I made the whole Thanksgiving dinner with Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, Hawaiian sweet potatoes (with melted marshmallows), stuffing, rolls...am I forgetting anything? Oh yeah, pumpkin pie with whipped cream! The kids enjoyed looking at the turkey before it was cooked, seeing the legs and the neck and even the heart - it kinda made me sick to my stomach but they liked looking and touching the bird.

New Go Pro HD

2010-01-04T10:27:00.001-10:00

After a long 2 months of waiting I finally got my new Go Pro HD camera, the Camera works great and the quality is excellent. Check them out at http://www.goprocamera.com
On this day the waves were very small but perfect conditions to test out the camera and functionality. More to come, Shoots!

Private Surfing Lessons With Daddy

2009-11-22T20:57:00.001-10:00

Oscar turns 30!!!

2009-11-22T20:16:00.004-10:00

We had such a GREAT time celebrating Oscar's birthday last month with our good friends, Roger and Jill! Thanks Rog for all the work that you did putting the "party" together! Jill also has a Halloween Birthday (so unique!) so we all celebrated together! Here are just a few pics. I love you baby - you are finally in your 30's!

The Hawaiian tradition is give a lei to the birthday boy. (He took it off right after this picture was taken)

The birthday kids

The four of us

Oscar's co-workers

The Morning After!

2009-11-04T22:52:00.002-10:00

First thing the kids did when they woke up was run to the candy. I love their morning faces!

Trick or Treat!

2009-11-04T22:28:00.003-10:00

Zek's first candy after Trick or Treating

Geni's first candy - lollipop

Ki's first candy - See's Candy Stick

At the Kahala Mall - getting as much candy as possible

Ki found a look-a-like Batman and of course, I had to take a picture!

Pics Before Trick or Treating

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Big Pink Poodle

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Lil' Isty Bitsy Spider

2009-11-04T21:19:00.004-10:00

Ki's Halloween Parade

2009-10-30T23:32:00.007-10:00

One of my favorite things about being a "stay- at -home -mom" is that I get to go to all the school functions and parties. Ki loves it when I come to his school for any little reason so he was excited to see me back after droppingGeni off at preschool. Of course, I had to come take pictures of him walking around in the parade. He is getting so big and it's so fun to watch him with his friends.

Carving Pumpkins!

2009-10-30T22:41:00.012-10:00

I love carving pumpkins! It reminds me of when I was little. So... in pursuit of making memories we did it all, including roasting the seeds. The kids love it and someday on their blogs they will be posting how they washed, roasted, and salted the seeds.

Our New Camera

2009-10-27T23:11:00.003-10:00

Oscar and I had to buy a new camera - since our really nice one was stolen :( but didn't want to pay hundreds of dollars so we went looking for something small but nice. He was very excited to see a great deal on a waterproof camera. I liked the fact that it was pretty cheap, small, and simple. Since we are constantly in the water with the kids, this was perfect. That same afternoon we took it in the pool and these are some pics that we got. I think the pictures turned out pretty clear and the kids loved getting pictures of themselves swimming around. We can't wait to take it out in the Big Blue!

The Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-27T22:53:00.003-10:00

Well there aren't many choices to pick a pumpkin here on O'ahu - in fact - it's Aloun Farms real pumpkin patch or the supermarket! So over to the west side we went in search of the pumpkin patch. It was very hot and dusty but the kids had a great time finding a pumpkin and then going on a pony ride.

My Dad

2009-10-19T09:58:00.003-10:00

I'm so proud of my dad! He works so hard and whatever he does, he is successful. God continues to bless him in his work. He has always been very involved with the BIA and is now going to be sworn in as President of the Building Industry Association of Southern California. Wow! Check out the link. Love you Daddy.

http://www.buildingindustryshow.com/EV-BISevents.php

Swimming

2009-10-10T01:39:00.004-10:00

It's funny how things are so crazy at times I feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water and then there are times that I'm actually feeling on top of the world! As I think about the difference between the two, one thing keeps coming to mind - God. When I'm in tune with Him and trust Him for every single little detail of my life (like finding our missing car keys) then no matter what happens, I'm indestructible. When I take my eyes off Jesus, I start to sink. There really is a deep hole in our souls that only Jesus can fill. I love just letting go and enjoying life. I love leaving the house (even though there may be laundry to do) and taking the kids to the museum just for fun. I love having a Friday night where nothing is planned but just hanging out as a family. What a joy it was to eat dinner, play games, and watch movies tonight. Thank you Jesus for loving us and blessing us, even with the little things!

Changes

2009-09-30T23:32:00.003-10:00

So many changes lately...
I decided to make a few changes again. I love doing this. I don't consider myself creative at all but I like to "borrow" ideas from others :) Our lives are all about changes. The kids grow and change everyday. God changes us from within. We grow as a family in our ideas, thoughts, and just life. I love changing!

It's been so long!

2009-07-11T23:34:00.002-10:00

Again...I have let time pass from me. My last post was in March! now it's July!! Wow. Where do I begin. So many things have happened since then! I've been contemplating whether I go back and update everything or just start from today. It's overwhelming to even think about it. Let me just highlight a few things we've done since March.
* My mother -in-law came to visit and made all kinds of Mexican dishes for us to enjoy. You could smell the aroma like none other when you stepped out of the elevator. Oscar's older brother, Miguel, and his wife, Melanie, also came to the island. We had a great time all hanging out as family.
* Just a few days later, my brother and his oldest daughter, Hanna, came to visit! We were pleasantly surprised to have them here and had a great time showing them around the island. We were able to spend my 31st birthday together!
* Ki graduated from Preschool and we registered him for kindergarden. He will start in August.
* Genesis turned 3! For her birthday she wanted to go shopping! Two of her best friends, Abby and Naomi, joined us for manicures and pedicures and then dinner and icecream.
* Zek turned 1! We celebrated his first birthday with a Hawaiian tradition Luau. My parents came, Oscar's little sister, Cynthia, and Miguel and Melanie came back again to all help us celebrate along with our wonderful friends.
* We've had many days at the beach, hiking, hanging out with friends, and just watching the sunset from our lanai.
Well, if I posted pictures of everything, you would never have time to go through them, so tomorrow I plan on posting just a few special ones. And I promise...I will keep more on top of things, updating you on our crazy life!

Honolulu Festival

2009-03-30T22:38:00.004-10:00

I'm positive that Hawaii wins for having the most parades!! It's crazy - there is always some parade going on for some special king or festival. It's great and now that we are 31 floors up we can tell when the main street is about to close for another parade. Well, for the Honolulu Festival we decided to hang out at the beach (what's new?) and then watch the parade. Our good friends, Roger, Jill, Kennedy, Tommy, and Isabelle joined us. We always love hanging out with you guys!

U.S.S. Missouri

2009-03-30T22:09:00.004-10:00

Earlier this month, our church had service on the U.S.S. Missouri. (This is the ship where the Japanese signed the peace agreement that ended WWII). It was really neat. We took a bus into Pearl Harbor and over to the ship and listened to our awesome pastor talk about perseverance and getting back up even when darts are thrown our way. After wards we were served lunch and were able to tour the ship for free. There is so much history there and the kids really liked looking at all the super sized missiles and guns. We definitely want to go back again and do the whole tour.

Waikiki Aquarium

2009-03-30T21:58:00.002-10:00

Last month, Ki went to the Waikiki Aquarium for a fieldtrip. We haven't been there before and since we are now walking distance, Genesis, Zek, and I decided to meet them there. We really liked it and I was pleasantly surprised on how many great animals there were. Ki had a great time with his class and Geni was following right along. Maybe when Uncle David and Cousin Hanna come out we will go again!

February

2009-03-30T21:33:00.002-10:00

I know, I'm very behind but I didn't want to forget about when my mom came out in February! It was great having her out - we always have so much fun. Here are just a few of my favorite pics!

No Eye Injection!

2009-03-11T23:49:00.002-10:00

Yeah - Today I didn't need the second eye injection like I thought I was going in for! Ok, here is the whole story (in a short version) from a couple of months ago....

About six weeks ago I had my first eye injection of Avastin. This medicine goes directly into my left eye and kills the unwanted blood cells that are growing. I was told that for some people it may take 2-3 injections for all the blood cells to die and for others it could take 5-6 injections. I was really praying that I was one of the lucky ones....

Today I went in to the Dr for him to check the progress from the first injection and receive the second. After he compared my results of the pictures from last time and this time, there was a significant improvement! He actually didn't want to give me the second injection (for now, anyways!)

I go back in a month for some very detailed pictures (they inject my blood with die and then watch it go into my retina - weird but cool). I will keep everybody updated! Thanks for the prayers. I really feel like I have favor from God on this one!

The Old Man and La Princesa

2009-03-07T23:58:00.001-10:00

Ki's Big Debut

2009-03-07T23:14:00.005-10:00

In January, Ki sang at his school's church on a Sunday morning. It was so fun watching him do the motions with all the other kids. He was so proud of himself. There was one time that he started picking his nose (he often does this) and when I shook my finger back and forth to say no - he started to do it back! Then he turned around and kept picking his nose! Ay, ay, ay! When other moms would ask which one was mine, all I had to say was, "mine is the one who was picking his nose!"

New Year's Celebration & New View!

2009-02-26T00:10:00.002-10:00

Off with your head! - Oh, I mean "hair"!

2009-02-19T22:49:00.006-10:00

For Oscar's "Big Run" he decided to shave his head - something he has never done and I really have never wanted him to because I'm afraid we'll be mistaken for a military family (no offense, friends!) but the day before the Great Aloha Run, we both decided it might be kinda fun. The next day, Ki wanted his shaved too! TWINS! Oscar tried to shave Geni's but I had to stop him. We gave her a little trim instead! Anyways, now my three boys all look the same!!!

This is only SOME of our California Vacation Pictures!

2009-02-19T21:27:00.001-10:00

Random November Pictures

2009-02-18T22:40:00.001-10:00

I'm Back!

2009-02-14T22:16:00.003-10:00

I know, I know...I haven't written in a few months... I think people are a little tired of seeing my parents in bed!! Well, what can I say about the last 2 months? Soooo much has happened - We had a GREAT vacation in California, wonderful Christmas and New Years back here in HI, Chinese New Year, Ki singing at his school church (twice), moving into a condo in the heart of Waikiki, my mom visiting again and doing the tourist-y thing, and oh yeah, needles in my eye (more about that later). As you can see, we've been busy and just praising God for how good He is! I think what I'll do is just put a few slide shows to try to show our life from the past 2 months.

Family!!

2008-12-08T22:32:00.007-10:00

We're Home!

2008-11-30T14:27:00.003-10:00

Just a quick post to say that we are home! We had such a wonderful time in California with our friends and family. I absolutely loved hanging out with my brother and his family. His kids are growing up so quickly and it was so much fun to play with them. We are going to miss them all very much. Of course we loved being with Tio and Tia too and watch them interact with the kids giving them hugs and besitos! I could have stayed another 2 weeks but like always, it's nice to get back to the routine of home. Oscar goes back to work tomorrow and Ki goes back to school. Back to reality. Thanks Lita for all the yummy food and good times! Thanks Daddy and Mama for the "hotel suite" in your house and putting up with the loud noises of kids running, laughing, and crying. I know they are going to miss waking up early and jumping in bed with you. I already miss you just thinking about it. Well, I will post pictures of everything when I have more time! (Back to laundry and unpacking!)

Lita's House

2008-11-17T21:16:00.004-10:00

Well, we arrived Saturday morning around 7:00 and my mom and dad came to pick us up - we went straight to their house to unload our things and "freshen up". Our first trip was to my brother's house to see the cousins! It was great seeing them again - they have all grown so much in the last 10 months! I call Abbie my twinie because that's exactly what I looked like when I was 6. After hanging out with them for a while we went straight to Oscar's mom's house - we call her Lita because that's short for Abuelita (grandma) and when Ki was little, all he could say was "Lita" and now that's her name! Well, Lita and everyone else was happy to see us - Oscar and his mom hadn't seen eachother for almost a year! She made sopes for us and my parents (they loved them!) and we just hung out and talked. Later in the afternoon we starting smelling someone bbq-ing and Lita said she was hungry just smelling it and I agreed so we decided to get out the carne asada, cebollas, frijoles, arroz, tortillas, and tequila! It was great! Oscar and I haven't had Mexican food in so long and the absolute best Mexican food is Lita's food - and my parents agreed (they kept going back for seconds, thirds, and I think even fourths!) We ended up having a great time and the best part was that our families were having fun together. I loved being able to share this time with my parents to show them what happens "on the other side of the family". I'm so proud of both of our families and the heritage and culture that we can share with our kids! Ok, now I'm getting sentis!

California!!!

2008-11-17T20:57:00.002-10:00

We made it! We were counting down the days for our California vacation and now we are here - it feels soooo good to be with our families again - we missed them so much! It was pretty crazy getting over here. First, our flight was canceled and we were put on a different flight leaving at a similar time along with everybody else on our plane. After having a complete search of our suitcases and a pat down (they even patted down Ki) we got to the gate and realized that it was going to be a packed flight. We were worried that we might not get seats together so Oscar went to find out about our new seats. The next thing I knew - he was telling me that we were boarding - First Class!!! I couldn't believe it. I hope our flight gets canceled on the way back too! We had spacious seats and were completely catered to. We got food and drinks for us and the kids for free. We were given headphones and warm towels - it was just amazing! The kids slept the whole time (all of them) but Oscar and I didn't sleep at all - maybe it was just too exciting!

Happy Halloween and Happy Birthday Baby!

2008-11-04T21:08:00.003-10:00

Well, ever since we had our babies - Oscar's birthday has turned into a day for the kids! This year he chose to go to Bishop Museum to celebrate with the kids and we had a lot of fun! The museum was decorated really neat and the kids were able to get LOTS of candy. We decided to have birthday candy instead of birthday cake! Happy 29th Birthday Baby!!!

2008-10-29T10:45:00.000-10:00

Ezekiel turns 4 months!

2008-10-29T10:31:00.002-10:00

Little Zek is now 4 months old and growing bigger every day! He is such a joy for all of us and I look at his little smiley face and thank God for another blessing! I bought baby cereal so he will start soon (as soon as we find the highchair pieces that are stored away in our shed). I can't wait to see his face when I put that first spoonful in his little mouth! Well, he sits up with support, rolls over from back to tummy, and gets up on his hands. He found his ears so he is constantly trying to grab them and keeps scratching them. Even when I cut his nails he somehow scratches himself. Because he is such a big boy now, we are getting rid of the baby bath and putting him in with the big kids!!

Shark Bytes!

2008-10-21T20:55:00.009-10:00

Well, so much has gone on lately that I can't keep up on the blog but tonight we had some great family time and I actually have a little bit of energy so I decided to upload these pictures. We went to a short seminar called "Shark Bytes" put on by the public libraries. Shark expert, Gerald Crow, is a scientific researcher who serves on the Hawaii Shark Task Force and has been on Discovery Channel's Shark Week. He and journalist/ photo- grapher, Jennifer Crites, gave a presenta- tion on different sharks and even brought a jaw of a tiger shark for the kids to see and feel. Ki LOVED it and afterwards we checked out all the books on sharks that we could find. We even checked out the book written by the two authors, Sharks and Rays of Hawai'i.

Zek Laughing

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I know He is very cute!!

2008-10-06T23:59:00.002-10:00

Last weekend as I was working on a new video, I saw the kids dancing so I pick up my camera and got some groovy footage. We are not too sure where Ki pick up the dance moves but he sure does have some rhythm!

Ki Turns 4!

2008-09-29T21:18:00.002-10:00

Ok, so I know I haven't posted in a while (just trying to catch up on house work and sleep lately) but I had to post today since it was Ki's birthday! We had a great day! In the morning Ki and Geni each got a present and then a special breakfast (Orange Rolls - a favorite of Ki's) then off to school. Geni and I stayed at school for a while and played with Ki during their outside play time. It was fun watching him interact with the other kids and I think he really enjoyed Mommy and Sister being there with him. Geni and I left for about an hour and then came back to have snack with the class. They sang the "Happy Birthday" song and had a special birthday crown to wear. Another friend had a birthday yesterday so they celebrated together. After we picked Ki up from school we came straight home to make his birthday cake. A tradition I started with the kids was to help make their own cake - it's fun for them and they get to lick the bowl when we're done! Daddy came home, we had dinner, and then we let him open one more present - a bike helmet. He kinda wondered why he was getting a bike helmet but then we told him to go outside and surprise...a new big boy bike was waiting for him. He was very surprised and maybe a little confused! To the park we rode! We then came home and frosted the cake. He wanted a chocolate cake with rainbow frosting (he is studying colors at school and even made tie die shirts!) so I got out the food coloring and together we frosted it rainbow style. It was a lot of fun and despite the way it looked, it was yummy. Then the rest of the presents. He always gets one from Daddy, one from Mommy, and one from Sister - the rest were all from Grandpa and Grandma which came in a big box today! Perfect timing. Well, it was a packed day and we are all exhausted! Just think 4 years ago I was in the hospital holding my first baby and feeling the love for the first time as I looked in his big brown eyes. Now I look in Zek's eyes and can't believe that God could actually give me something so precious! Three babies and my love doesn't run out. It's hard to imagine that God loves us more than that and he actually sacrificed His own son to have a relationship with us. Thank you Jesus for your love and forgiveness and for letting us experience a little bit of you with our own kids!

September 29, 2008

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God's Creations

2008-09-29T06:55:00.001-10:00

Cali Gifts!

2008-09-27T20:22:00.001-10:00

Mami & Zek

2008-09-27T08:29:00.001-10:00

One night before Ezekiel's bath, I was kissing his little tummy and he started LAUGHING! It was so cute and actually went and got the video camera! Daddy and Tio had taken the two older kids out and I felt bad that they were missing it so I learned how to use the tripod all by myself! Now, I'm so happy that I have it on video!

Waimea Bay Rock

2008-09-16T23:18:00.002-10:00

This year we spend Labor day 08, @ Waimea Bay. We all jumped from the waimea rock, even my mother in law (Kathy). It was a blast!!!! we spend the day jumping, swimming & paddle boarding. (Hard Life)

BTW Mexico beat Canada 2-1!!!!!

Beto is here!

2008-09-13T21:48:00.005-10:00

Oscar's little brother, Beto, is here visiting us and we are so excited to see him! They haven't seen each other since January so it's been real fun watching them together. One thing that Oscar has really missed since we moved here is watching soccer and sports news en espanol together. Beto used to come over a lot and watch games, play with the kids, and just hang out and eat all my food! That's ok - I'm not complaining (he actually bought dinner for us tonight!) Ki even said that he couldn't wait to watch Shark Week and eat pica chips (hot cheetos) with Tio. It's been great having him here and showing him around since it's his first time in Hawaii. He loves the water just as much as Oscar so we've been to the beach 3 days out of 3! Hmmm...maybe he'll want to move out here with us! The only thing is...we miss Tia!

Trying out the moped!

What more can you ask for?

Opening up presents from Lita and Tia!

Hanging out on the raft

Oscar and Beto on the board.

We love you, Tio!

Ki's First Day of School

2008-09-08T23:05:00.007-10:00

Ki was so excited for his first day of Preschool. He got a haircut, a new outfit, and a "suitcase backpack". Oscar took the morning off to walk him to school with us and also to pick him up! It was so great that Amma was here for this special day. We started the day off with chocolate donuts and lime chiffon cake from Liliha Bakery (very famous bakery down the street from us). Then we walked to school, found his classroom and took a picture with his teacher (Mrs. Carolyn) and said good-bye! He just gave us kisses and hugs and waved bye! What a big boy! We picked him up right before lunch so we were able to walk over to McDonalds for Chicken McNuggets! For dinner I asked Ki what he wanted me to make for his special day and he said, "grilled chicken, brown rice, and green beans" so that's exactly what I made! Mom was happy to see that he put vinegar all over his green beans (a Klinger tradition). The kids went to bed early and Oscar, Mom and I made a Kona Coffee Shake run and watched a movie - how fun!

Ready for School - Good Shepherd Preschool

Mommy and Daddy are so proud!

Little sister is proud too!

Can we play at school too?

Teacher made Amma get in the family picture for the class wall!

Mrs. Carolyn

Zek getting a tan!

2008-09-08T22:29:00.006-10:00

We were so excited when we went to Sam's Club and saw a raft that we had really wanted on sale! I guess they are trying to get rid of their summer things (I don't know why - isn't it always summer here?!), so we bought one of the last ones! Wow, am I glad Oscar talked me into it - it was a blast and perfect for our family - all the kids could get on and it was safe. At first we had their life jackets on but they felt stiff and uncomfortable so we took them off and they were jumping around without a care in the world! Even Zek hopped on! This was Zek's first time in the ocean and we are proud to say that it happened at Lanikai Beach - the #1 beach in all of Hawaii! Look at my three beach babies!

Waikiki Sunset

2008-09-08T22:11:00.005-10:00

One night Mom and I took the kids down to Waikiki to watch the sunset, play in the sand, and go out for dinner. So far, every time Mom has come, we have taken a picture of us two on the beach. That was a fun night!

We did it! We jumped off the rock!

2008-09-08T21:24:00.006-10:00

For Labor Day we woke up early and headed out to Waimea Bay and we did it! We jumped off the rock! Even Mom jumped and I have proof! We had a great time with lots of friends. The Fongs, the Hays, and the Homesleys joined us for the day! The water is always beautiful there and we can't wait to go back!

Sunset on the Beach

2008-09-08T20:57:00.003-10:00

Sunday evening we met up with our friends Roger and Jill and their kids (Kennedy, Tommy, and Isabelle) to watch "Horton Hears a Who" on the beach at Waikiki. We went a little early so Oscar could surf with Tommy and Kennedy who both did great for just learning not too long ago. After a little surfing, they did a little jumping off the pier, then we had dinner, shave ice, and watched the movie! We always have a great time with the Fongs and I'm glad that my mom had a chance to hang out and get to know them too!

Sea Life Park

2008-09-08T20:23:00.006-10:00

We decided to finally go to Sea Life Park since my mom is here. We have drove past it several times but never actually gone in - with my mom here to help, we have a reason to go and actually enjoy it! We all really liked it! The kids loved the huge tank with turtles, sting rays, and even White Tip Sharks! The dolphin show was pretty good too! After visiting the park for several hours, we drove around the island showing mom some other spots on the Windward side. We stopped for Spanish rice and Pastele that was being sold on the side of the road - it was good! After that we stopped for shave ice and Sandy Beach then headed for home - we were exhausted!

Surprise!

2008-08-27T07:59:00.002-10:00

Surprise! Mom's coming on Friday! Yeah - we can't wait! My mom called and said she had some news and when I called her back she said that she got a ticket to come out and see us. She will be here in two days! I'm very excited because it was such a surprise and I really miss her but try not to let it show (don't want to make it harder for her). I wish my dad could come too but I'm happy to have at least one of them! This will be her 4th time out in 7 months!

Best Mexican Food in Hawaii!

2008-08-26T21:25:00.003-10:00

A couple of things keep us from going out to eat - 1) the prices 2) the kids 3) the Mexican food just isn't that great! So, tonight, because I love my husband sooo much, I decided to make his favorite - sopes! It's pretty messy and uses a lot of pots that I have to wash afterwards, but he's worth it! Thanks to Lita, I was able to make his special (very hot) salsa to top it off. He always helps me cook sopes, so it's fun to be in the kitchen together. They turned out really good and we were all stuffed afterwards!

The Zoo at Night

2008-08-26T21:07:00.003-10:00

HMSA (Oscar's work) had an employee appreciation day at the zoo. It didn't start until the evening and went until 10:00 so the kids were excited to go to the zoo at night. All of the animals were sleeping! But HMSA did a very good job at entertaining us. There were all kinds of things to do for the kids, the food was yummy, and of course they had shave ice and kettle corn. It made for a late night but we had a great time!

Friday Movie Night!

2008-08-23T09:46:00.006-10:00

We had so much fun Friday night, cuddling, eating goodies, and watching a movie on the futon! We got our jammies on and pretended it was cold so we could get our blankies. Then we opened up the futon and got our favorite candy! Maybe this should be a Friday night tradition!

Relaxin' in the Hammock!

2008-08-23T09:26:00.003-10:00

Oscar with the two babies - sleeping?

No- not sleeping! Just relaxing!

Hey, I want to get in there too!

Oscar with the two oldies!

Gazing at the stars - their favorite thing to do. My husband has made them two "discovery kids"! That's good, right?

Box from Lita!

2008-08-23T08:50:00.009-10:00

"A box! A box! Mommy, we got a box!" These were the words from Ki when we came home from running a few errands and found a box sitting on our front porch. How exciting! We all love surprise boxes because we know that we will get a few things from "home". This box was from Lita (Oscar's mom) and so we waited for Daddy to come home to open it up. The kids could barely wait and had Oscar on the futon as soon as he walked in the door. They were ready to open the package! Ki got a car, Geni got a doll, Zek got diaper rash creme (Vitacilina - it's the best!), Oscar got a couple of DVD's that he wanted (you have to watch "Under the Same Moon" - it's soooo good!), and I got chilis to make Oscar's favorite salsa! Thanks Lita - we love you and miss you so much! Can't wait for Tio Beto to come out!!!!

Potty Trained!

2008-08-23T08:41:00.002-10:00

Yeah! I think we can finally say that Genesis is potty trained - one less baby to worry about! We are very proud of her since she just turned two and a little young! Surprisingly, she was pretty easy. Parents are always apprehensive to start the potty training process because we know there will be many accidents and clean ups and with a girl you can't just pull over the side of the road and tell her to go by the tree! I think she was just ready - we have been talking to her about wearing chonies for a couple of months now. Anyways, she does not want diapers at all anymore, not even during naps or night time! She has had a few accidents at night but that was over a week ago and since then - everything's been great!

The Lagoons at Ko'olina

2008-08-15T23:03:00.006-10:00

The kids and I went to the lagoons at Ko'Olina (a resort on the west side) where the water is just beautiful. Jenn Hays accompanied us and it was great to have the extra set of hands - I'm not sure I want to take the three kids to the beach by myself - yet! Poor Ki just keeps asking "will you play with me?" and it's so sad because I can't leave the baby (obviously) by himself under the umbrella! Genesis just wants to lay in the sand and build castles so Ki gets creative in the water. Jenn took the baby for a while so I could play with the kids in the water - it was good to just be with Ki and Geni again - like old times! Thanks Jenn!

Sandy Beach

2008-08-07T22:25:00.003-10:00

At Sandy Beach on the East side of the Island, the kids had a great time running away from the huge waves. Oscar wanted to check out the local hangout because of the reputation of big waves that break close to shore (good for body boarding). It could be pretty dangerous because of how hard the waves hit but it didn't seem to bother Oscar! The kids, of course, found a friend to play with and Zek and I just hung out under the umbrella!

Special Times with Grandma

2008-08-07T20:43:00.011-10:00

Before my mom left she had a special time with both Ki and Genesis. Since she had the condo, each kid got to spend the night with her and do something fun in the morning - how exciting for them to have Grandma to themselves all night and all morning. Grandma gave them snackies in the evening, read books with them, took them out to breakfast, and then either to the park or the beach where the other kids and I met them. Here are just a few pictures of their special times that I thought were cute!

........Eating Snackies.............. Reading in Bed.........

..........Breakfast...................... At the Park..........

........Eating Snackies.............. Reading in Bed.........

..........Breakfast.................... At the Beach...........

Love you Mama!

2008-08-04T22:59:00.013-10:00

Mom was here for two weeks and the kids and I got used to having her here and really miss her. It was great having her help with the kids and just hanging out around the house. We had fun doing things around town and taking lots of pictures. Some things we did...

Eat Sushi and Tempura at our favorite Japanese Restaurant

Make a blanket for Genesis (I'll have to sew the boys' blankets by myself since we ran out of time!) Geni absolutely loves her special Hawaiian blanket that Mama and Amma made!

Ran around at the Dole Pineapple Maze and ate our pineapple goodies!

Ate good food and lots of icecream!

Hung around the house and played!

Went to the beach!

Changed lots of diapers!

Kids Posing for Pics!

2008-07-29T22:04:00.003-10:00

Mom and I took the kids out to get a few pics of the three kids together - it was a little hard having Ki hold the baby so most of the pictures are of Ki and Geni together. For the most part - we got great pictures! I'm so happy with my three babies!

China Town

2008-07-23T22:39:00.005-10:00

Today we took the bus to Chinatown! The kids love taking the bus and it's a lot easier because the parking is so difficult over there. It's not very far from our home so it doesn't take long to get there - however, it was a challenge with the 3 kids even with my mom helping! I think her words were, "I don't think you'll be going anywhere on your own for a while"! Despite the challenges we had a good time.

Ready to go and waiting for the bus.

The fish market and yes - that's chicken feet for sale!

The kids were sooo hungry so mom bought apples for the kids to snack on!

Bye Daddy - I love you!

2008-07-23T22:13:00.005-10:00

Well, my Daddy left to go back home and I already miss him very much! It was so much fun to have him here again and I love seeing him interact with the kids, especially since we have a new little one! Here are a few pics of when he was here. Love you Daddy and can't wait to see you again!

Deep Sea Fishing Trip

2008-07-21T22:09:00.002-10:00

Last week I was able to finally go deep sea fishing, and it was a blast!!!!! Mike and I caught a few Dorados. We left Honolulu at 5:30 Am and didn't return until 4:00Pm. The Magic (Boat) was very nice and clean and I was able to take a nap while moving to different spots. After having a blast fishing, we saw another boat that was doing a different type of recreational sport. Check out the video and watch out for the fins....

Thank you Mike for the cool experience! One down and a lot more to go...Andale andale Ariba arriba!!!

P.S. The Dorados were excellent, Mike grilled them for dinner that night.

We took a poll!

2008-07-21T17:15:00.003-10:00

We took a poll to see who you thought Ezekiel looks like and we have heard you! Seventeen of you voted and this is the verdict...

Ki - 9 votes

Geni - 8 votes

It was so much fun watching the votes come in! At first Geni was winning by a lot and slowly Ki started getting more votes. The day before the poll closed they were tied 8-8 and on the last day, Ki got one more vote! It just goes to show that Zek looks so much like the two of them. Well, they are definately related! We can't wait to see what he will look like as he grows and changes!

Mom and Dad are Here!

2008-07-14T17:54:00.004-10:00

My parents came in on Friday to visit and we have been busy ever since! Friday night we had dinner, walked around for a while, and then went to check out their condo. The kids were so excited to see them (and for presents!) and of course, Grandpa and Grandma were excited to see their 3 grandchildren. Zek is their 7th grandchild and probably their last (unless Dave and Sue plan on having more!) It's fun having my mom and dad here again. Saturday and Sunday we took advantage of Oscar not having to work and went to the beach! On Saturday we went paddle boarding at Ala Moana (I think we are all sore) and then on Sunday we played on the beach at Waikiki and went out for dinner at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants! Today we just hung out at our house and then for a little shopping for a few needed things! Ki and Geni got bunk beds and Zek has a new stroller! I think tonight we will continue to hang out and eat some snackies!

The Many Faces of Little Zek!

2008-07-06T21:49:00.003-10:00

Last week while little Zek was taking a nap I set up my camera next to him and recored him for about 45 minutes. I took the footage and changed the speed to 1000 frames per minute. Check out the video for the results.

4th of July!

2008-07-05T22:59:00.005-10:00

Zek is 1 week old today and to celebrate we decided to go to the beach - surprise! We actually got up early and were at Waikiki at around 7:30 am. We knew there would be a lot of people and wanted to make sure we had a good parking space and of course a great beach space. It was very nice relaxing on the beach with my Starbucks! Of course, it's pretty warm already and the first thing the kids did was jump in the water. I couldn't believe how well things went today - I was expecting it to be crazy with Zek being so small but things went so well! The older ones were completely independent and played in the water and sand, Oscar was able to surf and paddle board, and Zek and I just sat under the umbrella! We had a great day!

One amazing thing - Ki decided that he was ready to paddle like a surfer on HIS board (Oscar's shortest board) and he did awesome! We were so proud of him - only 3 years old and laying down on the surfboard practicing jumping off. I can't wait to see him surfing the waves! Genesis even paddled a little bit and wanted to go out to the deep parts! We might have to buy another surf board soon!

In the evening we joined Darrick at the base for a big fireworks show - we had first row seats on his huge ship! Ki was loving it, Geni was scared crazy, and Zek was sleeping! Over all we had a great time and great 4th of July!

The second day home!

2008-07-01T23:11:00.002-10:00

Well, today completed our second day home from the hospital. So far, we have just been resting, playing, and cuddling! Oscar has taken the whole week off so it's been great just bonding as a family without any agenda. The two older kids (that's weird to say) are adjusting well with the new baby - Ki is very "grown up" and absolutely loves it when Zek's eyes are open. He gets so excited and talks to him. He says he can't wait to play with him and will teach him many things. Geni loves to help. She constantly wants to put the chupon (pacifier) in his mouth, whether he needs it or not, and loves to get the wipies and tiny diapers for us. She likes to watch him and touch him but is a little reserved with him. Both kids want to hold him. Oscar is bonding with Zek in the wee hours of the night! It's been great being able to nurse him when he cries and then hand him off to Daddy! Good thing Oscar likes to stay up late! Zek has been waking up about every hour or hour and a half and we are lucky if we get two hours at once. We know it won't last and in a week or two hopefully he will have his days and nights the way it should be - hopefully! I'm doing well - I feel great and am excited to get into a routine with the kids eventhough I'm not going to worry about it or even think about it this week! I want to just relax and enjoy having my hubby home with me. I'll let you know how relaxed I am next week when I'm "by myself" - good thing my parents are coming out in a couple of weeks! I can't wait!

A few pics!

2008-06-30T14:23:00.004-10:00

Ezekiel Keahi Gonzalez

2008-06-30T13:04:00.003-10:00

Birthdate: June 27, 2008 at 11:24 am
Weight: 7 lbs, 14 oz.
Length: 20.5 inches
Name: Ezekiel (Zek) is a book in the Old Testament in the Bible named after a prophet.
Keahi is Hawaiian Meaning Flames or Fire
Looks like: Ki and Geni combined!

Well, here is the story...
Thursday morning we thought that it might be time to go to the hospital so we called Jenn who came quickly to pick up the kids, Oscar called off work, and we called the doctor. The doctor reassured us that we had time and to take it easy until the contractions were 5 minutes apart. So...we waited and waited. All day we waited! I ended up going to sleep about 11:00 Thursday night. I was awoken at about 2:00 in the morning with consistent contractions - yeah! To the emergency room we went! After waiting more with the IV and all the other goodies hooked up to me, we waited some more. It seemed so long because everybody kept telling us that since this is the third baby things were going to go very fast. At this point it didn't seem very fast! After being there for about 8 hours, not much happened. AT 10:30 in the morning, the doctor came in and found me progressed from a 5 to an 8! Yeah! About a half an hour later, I knew I needed to push. They called my doctor who had to come from his office across the street so with every contraction, I had to hold him in! More waiting! Finally, Dr. Yoshino arrived and within 5 pushes Zek was here! At first I thought, "Genesis!" and then I looked again and said, "Ki!", so we think he is a real mixture of the two. What can we say? We are very happy, now a party of 5, and excited to start this new adventure of taking 2 toddlers and an infant to the beach!

Shark's Cove Underwater.

2008-06-24T19:31:00.002-10:00

Hawaii's 50th State Fair

2008-06-23T18:39:00.006-10:00

Friday night we went to visit the fair here in Hawaii! It's about 1/10th the size of the L.A. County fair - maybe even smaller! However, we had a great time. The Hays family joined us to make it especially fun! The kids have so much fun together. Ok, so do the adults! Jenn, what is that dog doing?!

Waimea Bay on the North Shore.

2008-06-23T17:13:00.002-10:00

Looking for Crabs!

2008-06-20T08:23:00.005-10:00

One of our favorite things to do is go down to Ala Moana Beach - it's the closest beach to our house and very calm and peaceful. We decided to get some dinner and head down there last night to hang out with the kids (they've been requiring extra attention lately)! After eating, playing in the water, sand, and just running around, we took a walk over to look for crabs. The kids were able to see both crabs and fishies!

Ki's Haircut???

2008-06-20T08:09:00.004-10:00

Before...

After...

We have been letting Ki's hair grow since we moved to Hawaii - obviously! We kept asking him if he wanted to cut it but he wanted to let it grow like a surfer! Well, it was getting to the point of "out of control" so we decided to go for a trim. We took him to this really neat kids haircut store and he was very excited. The problem is... there is not much of a change! Oscar and I aren't really sure what we paid for! We might have to go get it cut again very soon!

Geni's Party @ the Park

2008-06-17T20:55:00.004-10:00

Thanks to everybody who came to the party to celebrate Geni turning two! We had a really good time and hope that you did too! She enjoys playing with all of her gifts! Special thanks to Grandpa and Grandma and to Lita who sent boxes of presents for both Geni and Ki! We love you!

10 More Days Left!

2008-06-16T22:40:00.003-10:00

This is me - looking down at my feet! What can I say? Good thing it's chancla season! I had a drs appointment today and I am 1 cm dilated. I was kinda hoping to be 3! Oh well, obviously my babies come when they want, not what's comfy for me! I guess we will have another strong-willed child. (Wow, 5 strong willed people in this family!) Everything is ready for Zek to arrive, now we are just waiting!

Happy Father's Day '08

2008-06-16T21:56:00.012-10:00

Father's Day was a great weekend for me. On Saturday morning, it was back to Ala Moana to paddle with the kids and surf in the south swell. I was able to sneak in a nap in the afternoon and I received one of my presents early - The Discovery Channel Best of Collection - Ki and I watched the DVD Prehistoric Park with the T-Rex. Sunday morning Beth made pancakes and I watched the Mexico game (they won!) and then another nap! I was surprised to find out that there were more gifts coming - Planet Earth Series (5 different dvds) and Planet Earth - Oceans. Then later that evening we went to Compadres (finally some good Mexican food), watched the Lakers game, and walked around Waikiki. It is always fun to watch the kids play. We walked around until the kids talked us into Cold Stone icecream. How can I say no? It was a great weekend - I wish is was Friday again!

Thanks Vieja for making it a great weekend for me!