just like Dad

Anytime Stephen sits down to play the X-box 360, Mana expects to get his controller and "play" too.

The other night Mana was exhausted, but once he saw the screen change to Halo 3 he jumped up, grabbed his controller climbed up on our bed and promptly went to sleep holding his controller.

A surprise visit

On the swing ride, this thing was only 25c

Get excited Mana and Ari

Mana on the Pony ride, he didnt like it

Ari on the pony ride

Mana trying to pet the Llama from far away, he was a little apprehensive

Crystal and Ari petting the LLAMA

Mana, Tutu and Ari




We had some surprise visitors this weekend, Stephens mum, sister Crystal and her son Ari came for a quick weekend visit.
Mana was in heaven with all the attention and it was really nice to see them.
We took the kids to a park in Lehi which had a free petting zoo and a bunch of little things to do, it was so cheap.
The pony rides were $1 and the other little things Mana could do, like the swing ride, and bouncy castles, were 25c.
The kids had a great time, Ari has grown so much.

It was good for Mana to see Ari and be around him, he was trying so hard to play with him and he was giving him lots of cuddles, and he tried quite hard to comfort his cousin when he was crying.

I love Summer.

This weekend was a nice weekend, it FINALLY feels like summer for me.

On Friday it was Carlos Birthday party, so Mana and I headed down to Provo after I finished work and Stephen met us there.

There were a ton of kids and Mana was having a blast, too bad I was SO HOT, so we went to have a swim to cool down, it was so nice.

Mana was a little nervous at first with Stephen, but once I got in he started getting adventurous, well as adventurous as he could get with me holding him

On Saturday we decided to go to Seven Peaks and meet the Uyemas there.

It was a HOT HOT day so it was a great day to swim.

Mana had the biggest grin on his face the whole day, it was great to see him so happy !

My Protector

I had a doctors appointment today and I decided to take Mana with me.
Usually I leave him at his Grandmas house but today I decided since gas is out of control expensive, it would be cheaper and easier to take Mana with me.
It was just a quick appointment, check the heartbeat and answer any questions.
Mana was really good until I lay down on the exam table so they could listen to the heartbeat.
I hoped on the table and he walked over and held my hand.
When my doctor lifted my shirt and put the gel on my stomach to listen with the doppler, Mana went crazy, he kept trying to push the doctor away and pull down my shirt, the whole time holding my hand. He kept telling the doctor "No, No".
At first I was wondering what was wrong with him, why was he going so crazy, but after telling Stephen about it I realized he was just trying to watch out for me.
Hopefully his protective instinct will extend to his new brother !

Happy Fathers Day

Outside the Teppanyaki Place
eating ..

Since I have been soon run down with everything my poor husband didnt have the most exciting fathers day ever.
I had to go to Draper early in the morning to drop some pics off for my Aunty who was travelling back to Australia and drop my Dads Fathers Day present off so I left Stephen and Mana to sleep in.
When I got home around 9am, I made Stephen breakfast and then lay down and had a sleep, for about 3 hours !!
I woke up and made us lunch, then lay down again for another 2 hour nap.
My poor husband watched movies and our son and made sure I was ok.
Once I woke up from my second nap we went to a little TEPPANYAKI resturant in Lehi, it was nice, the food was good. Mana was a little scared when the cook made a huge flame on the grill but otherwise he was cheering and clapping.
When the cook cut the shrimp and was throwing it in everyones mouth, Mana was watching, absolutely enthralled. When it got to Mana he tried to open his mouth to catch the shrimp like everyone else, he didnt quite get his mouth wide enough and he wouldnt put his head back BUT he tried, it was so cute !
Since I'm 6 1/2 months pregnant Stephen, I hope you can forgive me for your very boring day.
You are the best father and husband and we love you !

Manas first swim of the season ..

A little scared with Aunty Bronte
and Uncle Tapua

Mana and his Uncle Siah

Mana was lucky enough for his Grandma and Koro to pick him up and take him out for the day on Saturday, where he got to go swim.

He LOVES the water and as you can see. he loved the slides too !!

My sister is MARRIED !!!

Bronte and Josiah
Spiderman, Sam, Mana and Tapua
Suga and Ariel
Hello
You look stoked
Siah big eyes
Oh YEAH !!!

Their head table
ma Mana monkey
Mims and Dad dancing
Parents and Monies
Sole loves to dance and give the dollar bills

Trying to get away from us
Twins .. Uncle Mark and Dad
Bridesmaids
Mum and her girls
Tapua and Siah .. dreamers

Ariel and Angela

Parents, sis and Harris
Mum and Aunty ElaineOur little Family

Dad, Sam and Ariel
Miranda and Harris
Our side of the family
Mum, Harris, Miranda and Dad

So my sister FINALLY got married. I spent the last few weeks staying up late to make dresses, I made 4 dresses for her bridesmaids and our sister who was the flower girl.

I made table runners in her colours and I made a table cover for her cake table.

I did her decorations for her wedding, and set up the venue and just basically tried to take that off her hands so it wouldnt be something she or my mum had to worry about, plus my Aunty came all the way from Australia to hang out with my mum and come to the wedding, so I wanted mum to be able to enjoy being with her sister.

So after the last few weeks of stressing like crazy and being way to busy to do anything around my house, here is the result.

I posted a ton of pics so that my family in other countries can see what happened.

On the actual morning of the wedding, Miranda got up around 6am and Tara and Cassie came over to get her hair and makeup started as she had to be at the Salt Lake Temple before 11am.

Miranda was fortunate enough to know a women who sewed for Maggie Sottero, a wedding dress designer, and she got her dress for a STEAL of a price !

Antoinette (Mirandas friend) and I headed out at 7:00am to the reception venue to set up.

Amy, my good and kind helpful friend, and Vanz , who finally made it back from the motherland, meet us over there and we set up as much decorations as we could.

We left to head to Salt Lake to get to the Temple just in time for Miranda and Harris to come out, she looked BEAUTIFUL !!

As soon as we finished taking pics, and gave the keys to the groomsmen for the Hummer, Dad, Vanya, Antoinette and I headed back to the reception place to finish setting up and organizing things.

At 5pm the reception was to start and at 4:45pm the guests started arriving.

The caterer that Miranda and Harris had paid brought a TON of food, there was an appetizers table, and Main Buffet table and a dessert table, the food was delicious !

Miranda and Harris were also fortunate enough the we have a good friend, Lisa Gunderson, who made a 6 tier cake for them for FREE, with all different flavours, it was SO good, I took a piece home that was the size of my plate, I LOVE CAKE !!

The reception was great, there was some singing, Harris' friends and then the Moleni's sang.

Some dancing by Harris' nieces, and Harris and his friends .. that was the most hilarious thing I've seen in a long time, Harris' Michael Jackson .. too funny !!

Being the good girl she is, Miranda learned the Tauluga (sp? anyone ?) so she did that and the night ended a little after 8.

Overall it was a beautiful night, now if only someone hadnt walked off with my sister in laws two tall nice vases, we would have been happy.

All in all, it was a great wedding, so proud of my sister and happy she married Harris, hes a good guy !

Friday 6th and Saturday 7th ..

Mana and his Uncles, he LOVES these two
Mana, Tapua and Bronte

Aunty Elaine and Mana

Us sitting outside
Mana and Grandma
Miranda and Harris

On Friday it was my Birthday, and I decided to work from home and spend the day with Mana.
It wasnt too hard to do my work, Mana sat in the room with me playing with his toys and watching cartoons, so long as he could see me he was happy.

We werent sure if we were going to be able to do anything with Stephen as the beginning of the month is the time he cant take any days off, but lucky for us he finished at 5 and we invited Robbie, Sanae and the girls to go and see Kung Fu Panda with us.

The movie was pretty cute, I liked it and we're sure Mana liked it.
I dont think we really thought about getting Mana a ticket because it seems like a waste of money when hes only 1, and we didnt think the movie would be so packed..
Since it opened on Friday, the theatre was packed with people so Mana had to sit on us, what a pain (still love you son) !
He was getting so into the movie, he was trying to kick and punch and do all the Kung Fu he was seeing on the movie, he wouldnt sit still for very long, he kept wanting to get up and jump around, so next time we go to a movie we will have to buy him a ticket, as well as go when its not the opening weekend.

Then Stephen and I went home, put Mana to be and watched Battlestar Galatica ... So, overall, it was a good day !

Saturday was a crazy day !

Stephen had to go to work at 9am and I was having a Birthday Brunch with the ladies, so I had to take Mana to my parents before heading over to IHOP .

My parents live in Draper, so I took Mana up there and headed back to American Fork for breakfast at 10am.
We had a nice brunch, thanks for organizing Jess, and thanks for coming Nimo, Syndee, Amy, Nau and Lasi, it was a nice break from all the wedding stuff I've been doing for my sister.

I drove to my house after brunch, picked up all the center pieces and some clothes Mana and I needed for my sisters Pre Wedding dinner, and headed back to Draper.

Got to the chapel we were all going to be at around 2:00pm and we set up everything up.
The Pre Wedding Reception didnt start til 7pm, and Shane and Brit we're having Tau's 1st birthday at 3pm, so I got Mana changed and we headed down to Orem to go to the Birthday party.

We were at the Party for a little over an hour, Brittany had made Tau a little basketball cake, it was so cute, we ate, dropped off our present and then Mana and I headed back to Draper to get ready for my sisters Pre Wedding celebration.

Got to Draper around 5:45pm and I stayed at the chapel while my mum, sister and sisters friends went home to shower and get ready, I asked my mum to take Mana back to their house so he could play, and I would wait for people to show up.

The reception was supposed to start around 7pm, it started a little after, and it was good.
Harris had some family band playing, they were good, and his little nieces danced a few numbers, they were cute !

We left at 10pm, and got a message to head to Faleni and Jess' house, so we drove back to Provo til just after 12, when we finally headed home to Lehi.

The only nap Mana had was in the car on the way to Tau's birthday, so for being very tired, he was really good all day for me. He's a little trooper !

Saturday was a LONG day!

Mana and his haircuts

Mana's hair grows pretty fast. Every couple of months he has to get a haircut because it gets too long AND hes a sweaty little beast so its to help cool him down.

I've given the poor kid a couple of disasterous haircuts, so the last two times he has had his haircut, his Uncle Ariel cut it.

He's really good every time he gets his hair cut, I always put him in his high chair, I guess its not the most hygienic thing to do, and he sits there pretty patiently.

Anytime he sees the camera, he tries to smile, such a poser .

This time, he was lucky to get a SWEET haircut !!

Its nice and short on the top and the front, and we left the back long ... HAHAHAAHA.

For some reason he has this long rats tail at the back, his hair is HILARIOUS !

He might hate me when hes older, but for now, he cant do anything about it .. love you SON.

Mana and his side view of his hair, not too bad in this pic, for some reason he likes to wear this lei, random ..