Kids say the darndest things.

Brennan has only been gone for a week and a half.  Wow, it has been the longest week and a half of my life.  I have been trying to think of anything to blog about but, since it has been non-stop raining, and Ella and I have not done much outside of the house,  I decided I would blog about what she has started to say.  I am truly amazed how quickly she is starting to pick up on words.  It is like all of a sudden "BOOM" she hits a certain age and she starts say everything, "mummy, dad, cheese, kitty, Blitz, Hi Grandma, lamby, Wher are ewe" etc. etc. 

 But I have to tell you my new favorite thing she says.  Ella and I have been spending a lot of time with my parents. Hmm... I wonder why... and sometimes I run down stairs to grab something and Ella (who has become extremely klingy) starts crying.  Well, one day my mom was telling her to to say "Mommy, Where are you?" and Ella would repeat.  The she would say "Cat, where are you?" and Ella would repeat.  So, Ella has figured out that I respond to Cat.  So, now when she wants to get my attention she proceeds to say, " Mummy.... mummy cat.... mummy cat.... cat... mummy..."  It is hard to respond to her with a straight face! I love being a mom.

These are a few random pictures of Ella since Brennan has been gone:

Ella strolling around a picture of "Dad"

What is up with the squinty eyes?

The Adventures of a Filmmaker

If any of you are not aware, about a month ago Brennan got a new job with a production company called Fischer Productions.  Needless to say, I once again have my fun loving husband back.  It's just that the last year was a little hard for him in regards to his job.  Anyways, Brennan has really enjoyed the last month. He is doing what he loves most, filmmaking and editing.  

Here's a little history on Fischer Productions: during the last year, the company approach National Geographic about a Great White Shark show they had begun to shoot.  Well, National Geographic and Discovery got in a bidding war for the show.  National Geographic got the bid(a lot of money...later) 

To make the story more interesting, Brennan called me yesterday and told me that he was going on the boat to the middle of the Pacific to continue shooting some footage.  They are headed out to the middle of the Pacific Ocean to a spot called SOFA (an Acronym for something).  The show is focusing on Great whites and finding out information about them that no one knows. It will be incredible!  So, if you have the National Geographic channel, you will want to see this show.  And if you don't, you'll want to get it.

So, Brennan will be gone for 1 month... Yes, I said 1 month.  He leaves June 7 and gets back on July 2.  We will not have any way to communicate with him.  So, Ella and I are very excited and sad at the same time.  

So, if anyone does anything fun... Please call Ella and me

 because we will be bored out of our minds...

Here is the promo. ENJOY!

I realized...

...I never put Easter pictures on the blog. Oh well, Happy Easter

...1 month later.

 

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Yes, it is true, Ella and I went to visit the Obamas... no, not really.  We went to visit cute Maryann, Taylor, Hailey, and Dain.  Maryann and I have been bestfriends since the 2nd grade when she moved in across the street.  To make a long story short, Maryann and I decided on my Birthday that I needed to come and see her.  A week later, I received an email showing me incredible deals for one way airfares.  I couldn't let this pass by.  So, on a whim, I bought a ticket for Washington D.C.  Ella and I were headed to see the wonderful Hansen family.  Brennan had to stay and work... or he would have come.

Maryann and I had such a fun time.  We saw many fun things and stayed very busy with the 3 girls.  It was a site to see 2 adult women and 3 tiny girls jammed in the back of Maryann's 4Runner.  I think Ella had quite an interesting time getting used to 2 new "sisters." She had her good moments and her not so great moments.  Overall, we both had a really great time.

Having 3 kids under the age of 3, we were able to see a lot of Washington D.C., but not everything.  Here are some pictures, see if you can figure out where we are: 

Thank you, Hansen family! I loved being there with you and getting my "personal tour" of Washington D.C.  You were so kind to let us stay with you, eat your food, and take up all your gas looking for parking.  

Just call me a Slacker

Chinaman's Hat

Matt showing his skills at Sharks Cove

Sick waves at Pipeline... seriously, there were pros there.

Brennan was is heaven. This is his Mecca.

Hawaiian Temple that is being reconstructed.

Mark Eubank and his wife were the Temple Couple.

Hole in the Rock...

I know, it has been a long time since my last post. I guess I just feel like I don't have anything fun to talk about. But, I will update all of you on what has been happening as of late. At the beginning of March Brennan, Matt, Julie(Brennan's film partner and girlfriend), and I went to Oahu, Hawaii for 9 days. We went because Brennan and Matt's documentary film "Manowce" won an award at the Honolulu International Film Festival(there is a link to their website on the blog, if your curious). I am so proud of these 2, they have worked so hard the last couple of years trying to get it into festivals and letting people know about it. Finally, someone recognized their efforts and hopefully this will open some doors. Anyways, the festival was the first 3 days and we all decided to stay 6 more days and enjoy lovely Oahu. It was so much fun to be back there again. I hadn't been back since studying at BYU Hawaii a few years back, during which I made life long friends. For those of you that were there with me, the North Shore brought back many fond memories. It seems almost like a dream.

Okay, back to the trip... we decided that it was probably a better idea to not take Ella on the trip with us. Even though she would have loved it. We were going with 2 people that weren't use to a 1 year old and just thinking of packing for her... overwhelming. So, she stayed with my parents, my sisters, and my mother-in-law. Thank you to them for allowing Brennan and I to have a relaxing vacation and not have to worry about her. That doesn't mean we didn't miss her like crazy because, we did. Anyways, the trip was fabulous and it is nice to have a tan in March.

Diamondhead and Waikiki

"Da Country Club"

Winter Beach

Cloudless skies and 80 degree weather...

Few people on the beach...

50 degree water, but stayed in it forever...

Taking 2 days to fall in love with the sand...

Knowing your child loves the beach as much as you do...

PRICELESS

Ella's 1st Birthday!

 

Ella's first birthday 

Let me finish what I started.  It was Thursday morning, I called the hospital, they wanted me there at 8:00 a.m.  While I was getting ready, I started getting these funny painful aches.  Hmm... were they contractions?  You bet they were contractions.  They started out not so bad, then by 7:30 a.m. when we left for the hospital, I started to brace myself because the pains became so intense.  Finally, we arrived the hospital, and into a nice room by 8:30.  The nurse got me all hooked up to the drugs and then checked me. I was dilated to a 4, so I could get the epidural when I was ready.  I was ready! After the epidural, I was able just to sit and enjoy myself, my conversation with my mom and sisters, and watching the contractions on the computer (Brennan was in another room waiting for the "all-clear" sign -- he's not a fan of hospitals/blood).  I couldn't feel a thing.  After about an hour, the nurse checked me again, I was dilated to a 10.  I could start pushing.  I pushed for about an hour and a half, and at 12:45 p.m., Ella came into the world.  It was an incredible experience.  I will never forget that day,  Brennan and I are so lucky to have this amazing person in our life.  She is the joy of our lives.  Ella, we love you and are the luckiest parents in the world.  

Ella minutes after she was born