For any new moms or moms-to-be out there…

…"8 Things No One Tells You About Being a Mom" is a good article [click on the title to read it]. It's also a nice review for those moms who have several years under their belt. I know it made me feel better to be reminded that there is no learning curve. Just do your best, and God/friends/relatives/teachers and their own little selves will do the rest. Crossing my fingers.

Blog vacation is now over

We've had a very eventful week here in the Funaki household. We had houseguests (I'll post about this a little later), celebrated my birthday three times, and then more houseguests. And never-ending laundry. In fact, when one guest was needing to shower before leaving, we didn't even have a clean towel to offer. Every SINGLE towel was in the wash. And we have a lot of towels. [I don't recall ever having called people houseguests.]

Today marks one-month of a little project I've been doing. Like many people, I want to focus more on gratitude and so for the last 30 days, I've recorded 4 things I felt grateful for that day. I also included one or two "Please"s, things I was hoping for or needing…that way, when a "please" came to pass, I would see that the desires of my heart are in fact granted. A "please" then easily becomes a "thank you for." Don't know if any of that made sense, but hopefully it did.

Anyway, since I finished 30 days today, I read through all the previous pages of lists. Here are some excerpts that I most enjoyed reading again and remembering how I felt that day. (I like lists, can you tell?)

18 things I've been grateful for in the month of August, in no particular order:

1. having a fellow fat friend to go swimming with. [you know who you are]
   
2. our little HOT walk to the park today. Opportunity to teach the kids about the pioneer children.
3. Symonie's famous Chocolate Decadent cake. Yum-o.
4. my very patient husband. Can I say this enough? I would knock me out if I were him.
5. the foresight I had last month to make an extra lasagna and throw it in the freezer.
6. my husband's willingness to go to the store at 10:30 pm to get milk.
7. getting to see Mom and Dad today for a few minutes. I miss them.
8. old people who make random comments in Sunday School.
9. my cute nieces who love me—and I love them.
10. early birthday presents! And packages in the mail!
11. apologies. One always improves a situation.
12. lotion. My dry skin without it = unhappy me.
13. phone calls from far-away (and not-so-far) relatives or friends. Being greeted by a familiar voice is so nice. Actually, these days, being greeted by a human voice is nice.
14. my daughter's curiosity.
15. clearance bins.
16. Andes mints.
17. my son who never stops loving me, no matter how frustrated and disappointed I become with him.
18. markers. When it comes to keeping kids busy & quiet in church, it's the best 99 cents I've spent.

I've really enjoyed this experience, as it has helped me to focus on all that I have. Just like Sheryl Crow sings,

"It's not getting what you want. . .
it's wanting what you've got."

I think I'll continue for another 30 days, and who knows, maybe indefinitely. I'm sure I'll have some repeats on the lists. You know, there are some things I'm just really thankful for. Something that has already made it on the list more than once, in addition to diet Coke and king-sized bed, is none other than the modern convenience of: washing machine.

P.S. That picture up there is not of me, in case you were wondering what happened to me. Doing-laundry Lindy is never that happy. And the picture is not of my houseguest either. I really like that word! I've really got to go to bed.

Final call for Fall Swappers

Remember to sign up if you haven't already. Sign-ups close at midnight tonight! Just click here for the 411.

Saturday UPDATE: I just became aware that some of your sign-up emails went to my Bulk/Spam folder—I'm not sure why. So, if you did NOT get a response e-mail from me (saying "Okay, I got your info" or something like that), please e-mail me again ASAP. Hopefully this happened to only a couple people, and I got it taken care of.

Happy Birthday to me and our house.

Yup, we have the same b-day. 'Twas one year ago today that hubby and I signed on our house, officially becoming its owners and giving it new life. Don't know if I'll ever get a better birthday gift than that. The last year has brought some major changes to my life. . .we bought our first home, we moved to a different city town and changed wards, and I quit working full time to stay home with my little monkeys.

I'm so glad that, at age 30 (compLETEly weird), I can say I am doing what I always wanted to do—though it may not be how I imagined it while in the naiveté of youth. Didn't really think I'd be settling down in Utah, much less Podunk Utah. And I thought I would just love being a stay-at-home mom. Am I completely adjusted to my newfound circumstances? Certainly not. . .I frequently feel isolated, unappreciated, inadequate, and frustrated. It's a struggle to feel comfortable and confident in this role. I'm not always joyful about and appreciative of the experience, but every now and then I get a glimpse of why my being home with my kids is so important.

So, to remind myself of why I feel grateful for the changes since last August 23, I've been compiling a list of reasons. I've decided to share my own Top 10 pulled from that list. Here goes:

Top 5 Reasons Lindy is Happy to Live in Tooele
10. It has the coolest old post office (I'm going to take pictures to post later) and I live next to the Railroad Museum. Makai thinks that's where all trains "come home" to.
8. For many reasons, I'm reminded of my hometown St. Johns often; it's a comforting feeling. Now if only my Grandma Udall could live right next door…
7. I feel safe. My kids can play outside without a lot of worry—well, in comparison to living in the city. I also don't think terrorists could find this place if they tried.
6. Life is more simple—not as much going on, not as many places to spend $, not as much pressure to keep up with the Joneses.

Top 5 Reasons Lindy is Happy to Be Staying at Home
5. My duff isn't glued to an office chair all day in front of a computer…although some days it's there more than it should be. My eyes and my wrist tendons are happier, too.
4. I get to see my kids wake up from their naps, when they just want to be held. And sometimes, I even get to take a nap with them.
3. We are eating homemade meals more than ever. I'm finally trying out those recipes I clipped and always intended to make. I make dinner; it's ready when Aki comes home. Happy Aki.
2. We can actually enjoy our Saturdays. Whereas before, Saturday was reserved for 6 loads of laundry, grocery shopping, housecleaning, and errand running, I can get those things done (mostly) during the week now and leave Saturday for some family swimming, picnic, or window shopping time. And getting ready for Sunday, of course.
1. I always promised myself I would stay home with my little ones, so I no longer have that hanging over my head. It's not easy, it's not always fun, and certainly not glamorous in the world's view, but I don't regret my decision for a minute. I can't describe the relief, the gratitude, the hope, and the immense love I feel when I get some quiet one-on-one time with my children and look forward to all that we have to offer each other.

Can you have too much red food coloring?

I know, it looks kinda gross. Wanna know what I did on the weekend? I had my nieces over for a sleepover, movies, swimming, and more baking. Check out niece Alli's blog for some pics.

We've been baking up a storm…

…IN a storm! It's raining cats and dogs right now and zucchini bread is in the oven (click here for a very interesting recipe, courtesy of Daisy …sidenote: anyone who likes Tres Leches cake should stay on that site for her recipe, but don't forget to come back). Mmm, I love that smell. It's definitely getting me in the mood for the Fall Swap! We have over 25 swappers so far, but we've still got a week left, so continue to spread the word—we want a huge variety of people, locations, hobbies, etc. I hope you're all thinking about what you'll put in the box, and conjuring up your most creative juices!
Earlier this week, the kids helped me bake (again, using the neighbor's zucchini) chocolate zucchini cupcakes, which were quite good, especially slathered with homemade cream cheese frosting (I didn't use chocolate like the recipes says, and I didn't use nuts). My favorite was that Aki justified them as "muffins" and had them for breakfast.
Then we made Banana Cake (see very staged photo above). This is the best recipe ever. . .anyone who has ever tried the cake, even people who profess to dislike bananas, loves it. I got it out of my handy dandy book of Udall Family Favorites: Recipes we love to make and share; my sis-in-law Heidi submitted it. I can't remember where she got it. . .Heidi, if you're reading, help me out here. This is also the cream cheese frosting I used for the "muffins"—the recipe makes more than I use for the cake, so the leftover tasted great with chocolate! I didn't have pictures of the final cake product because, well, I forgot (but, here it is at Ame's b-day last year). We took the cake to a family in our neighborhood as a thank you. Aki was sorely disappointed I wasn't making it for him, so to keep him happy, I had to turn a few pages in my trusty recipe book and make Risa's Cake Brownies, one of his favorites.
And then, last night, our latest baking adventure was homemade pizza. Boy, did we make a mess! But the kids loved it (notice Ame standing on the counter to help), and were very proud of the dinner they served to Dad. Yes, we eat on paper plates, especially the nights when I have the whole kitchen totally clean and really don't want to put dirty dishes back in the sink. It's a good thing my dad doesn't read this. . . talk about disappointed.
P.S. I'll be giving away a brand new "Udall Family Favorites" book in conjunction with the swap. I know you all want one…stay tuned.

Rain boots to the rescue

Though not quite a Parent Hack, I found a brilliant use for rain boots yesterday. Ame and Makai love to run around in their rain boots or snow boots, even though its 90 degrees outside. Ame especially—she's happiest when wearing only a diaper and her rain boots.

Anyway, we're trying the potty training effort, so Ame was wearing her stupendous Backyardigans underwear (on clearance at Kohls—yes!). She came and stood right by me, and I thought she was going to tell me she needed the potty, but it was a little too late. Pee pee started running down her legs, heading straight down to make a puddle on the carpet in her rainboots!? Ha ha! I took those puppies to the bathroom and poured the pee straight in to the potty, then washed and rinsed them out in the bathtub. Rain boots are made out of rubber. . . water repellent, so they are definitely pee pee repellent. Easy as pie--and no stink in the carpet. I may just have her wear her rainboots the duration of potty training!

[Disclaimer: I'm not a physicist, but in order for this method to be effective , child-in-training must 1) be a girl—I think, and 2) keep legs closed together during urination process. The opening of legs will cause said "pee pee" to miss rain boots entirely and land on carpet.]

P.S. Above, see Ame's cute rain boots purchased on Amazon.com—$9. These cowboy ones are Makai's—on clearance for $6 (but I just looked to get the photo, and they are suddenly $24. . .I don't understand). There are so many cute rainboots. . .lots from Target.

Favorite Things for Fall SWAP

Updated 8/26/07
SWAP PARTICIPANTS, now that you've received your assignment:

1. Send your person a package BY SEPTEMBER 10 containing five of your favorite things associated with the fall season; they can be purchased or handmade. It's a good idea to send a card or letter containing brief explanations of the items (i.e. why they're your favorite, what your line of thinking was, etc.) P.S. You might want to enclose your own information—mailing/email address, blog address—in case she wants to send you a thank you note or get to know you better.

2. If possible, take photos of the package you receive and post to our flickr.com group. You will need to sign up for an account, if you don't already have one, then request to join our group at http://www.flickr.com/groups/fallfavethings/. Put captions on the photos, so we know who you are and what you're showing us!

If you do not want to or can't do flickr, then just email me a photo or two of your package, and I'd be glad to upload them on flickr for you.

3. Check the flickr group every few days after September 10 to see what all our fellow swappers are getting! It's way fun, and you get tons of good ideas.

4. Return to my blog at funakifam.blogspot.com after you have received your package to respond to a quick poll/questionnaire/survey thing to give feedback.

__________________________________________________
Original Post:

Okay, it's what you've been waiting for! And I'm so excited! Here's the deal-io with the Favorite Things for Fall Swap:

As a participant, you agree to choose (and either buy or make) at least five things that are 1) your faves and are 2) associated with Fall. Does that mean everyone has to send a pumpkin? No, it can be a very ordinary object you enjoy that reflects the colors, smells, images, tastes, activities, holidays, or other connotations of Fall. Be creative! Have fun with it! This is not to impress, it is just for FUN—items can be purely aesthetic or functional too; try to send things you'd be glad to receive yourself.

Remember, they are YOUR favorite things. . . you are not necessarily shopping with your swap buddy in mind. That being said, you will want to know a bit about your swap partner so that you aren't sending baby items to a single person or religious items to a non-religious person, if you get my drift. Don't plan on spending more than $10-$15, if even that (although if your budget allows, and you don't expect to receive a package of the same level, go for it). Some of you won't even go shopping and will hand make things—although considering the cost of materials you've already purchased and have at home, the total amount can be right up there. You'll want to consider packaging (sometimes this is the most creative part!) and shipping charges as well. . . heavier things cost more (i.e. the package I sent shipped for $7.00 and the package I received,$9.00), so it's definitely something to consider.

Please remember that we all have different talents, capacities, and budgets, so the package you receive may be inferior or superior (in your opinion) to the one you sent off. What I'm trying to say is, SWAP AT YOUR OWN RISK. :)

Ready to join the fun? You can sign up until midnight (MST) on Friday, August 24. I'll wake up Saturday 25th morning and start assigning names. You have just over a week to recruit and spread the word...so get your friends involved (see my P.S. down below about this)! The more swapping, the merrier. To sign up, e-mail the following information to me at funakil@yahoo.com:

1. your name
2. mailing address
3. email address
4. blog/website/flickr address (if you are anywhere on the web)
   
5. a little something about yourself
   

Only the person sending you a package will receive your contact information. Swap buddies will be assigned and notified by the night of Sunday, August 26. Once you've received your partner's information, go ahead and check out their blog/site and get an idea of who you are sending to. You may want to customize one of your favorite things for that person. Swap packages must be shipped by Monday, September 10—that's 2 WEEKS to shop, create, and get it together (so you might want to start thinking now about what you're going to put in it)!

Once you receive your package, be sure to take photos and post them for all to see on:

1. your blog (and leave me a comment pointing me to it) OR
   
2. flickr.com. You can sign up for a flickr account if you don't already have one and post your photos there as part of our group. If you don't want to sign up on flickr, simply email me a group photo of your goods and I'll upload them on your behalf.

I think we're ready! If you have comments/suggestions, need help, or have other questions, send them my way at: funakil@yahoo.com.

Thanks for your participation. This should be fun, and will certainly be a nice way to usher in the Fall season!

P.S. SPREAD THE WORD
Please put one of the below graphic "buttons" on your blog or website sidebar. That way, if you post about the Swap, just tell your readers to click on the button in your sidebar. They will be taken here and can sign up themselves. To get the button:

1. highlight and copy the section of code just below the button you want
2. go to your blog template and Add an Element; choose the HTML/JavaScript one
3. paste the code in the Content box (you can give it whatever Title you want), and voilà, your button appears on your sidebar!

<a href="http://funakifam.blogspot.com/2007/08/favorite-things-for-fall-swap.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/funakil/FallSwapORANGE200.jpg" border="0" /></a>

<a href="http://funakifam.blogspot.com/2007/08/favorite-things-for-fall-swap.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/funakil/FallSwapGREEN200.jpg" border="0" /></a>

<a href="http://funakifam.blogspot.com/2007/08/favorite-things-for-fall-swap.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/funakil/FallSwapBLACK200.jpg" border="0" /></a>

Was that information overload or what?! A big thank you to Mammajam, who designed the buttons for us! YYYY

Lucky Girl!

My niece Allison is a girl to be envied by her peers. Check out her blog to see what exciting things have been happening in her life. Lucky!

This reminds me of when I was just a young girl and my sister Camie received in the mail a glossy 8x10" autographed picture of John Schneider (think Bo Duke from Dukes of Hazzard). I don't know what she did to get that, but it was pretty cool, I tell ya.

Oh, that reminds me about my other sister, Symonie. In 1989, she was in Moscow, Russia, and happened to stay in the same hotel as the band Bon Jovi. She got to ride the elevator down with Jon and Richie Sambora. She has a picture standing next to the very short Jon Bon with his wild hair! It really doesn't get any cooler than that. (And again, I say, Lucky!)
I'm sorry to say I have no claim to fame, no autographs, no chance meetings (well, outside of Mormondom fame, anyway). Maybe I should hang out with my niece more often—or my bro-in-law Matt, for that matter, since he's the source of her luckiness. What about you all. . . any celeb moments you want to share? For bonus points, include a picture and point us to your bloggy for a little show-and-tell. Rock on.

Are you ready for the Cougars?

All of you who are football fans, especially if you are UTES fans you better get ready because there is no mercy this season. This is what Cougars are all about.

August 11

Happy Anniversary to us yesterday. Six years. Aki, thank you for your love, your support, your hard work and perseverance. It hasn't always been easy (what is?), but we've hung in there, and isn't it a good thing? How could we ask for more than our two beautiful kids who love us without reservation, and the life that God has granted us? Life is good, isn't it? Thank you for being such an amazing father to our children, and for being my best friend in the world. Don't know what I'd do without you.

Remember the line from a previous year's anniversary card:

we'll be fine
as long as we've got each other…
…and plenty of snacks

I totally believe that. Life can hit me with whatever it wants, I will be okay and can handle it if I have my Aki and a good supply of snacks.

Speaking of my favorite snack, we celebrated our 6th year accomplishment yesterday by going to the temple in the morning, and going out for dinner and a movie later that night. We got an ice cream [this is the favorite snack part] after the movie, and as we sat eating on the grass near the parking lot, a car full of teenage boys drove by and whistled, then one yelled out, "Marry her!" We laughed to ourselves and I thought, He did, six years ago!

And I'm so glad he did.

"A good marriage is one which
allows for change and growth
in the individuals and in the way
they express their love."

~Pearl S. Buck

The TRULY Simple Life

Not simple, as in easy, piece-of-cake, no problem, kind of life, but simple as in free of chaos and unnecessary "noise" kind of life. I love looking at this blog every now and then, not because it lists great buys or tips, points to eye-candy design finds, or fashion trends, but because it reminds me that life is most beautiful when it is simple. I seriously wish I could take a vacation and go live with these people for a week or so, just to experience it--living life in its most essential terms. I love looking at the photos she takes. . . they are peaceful to me.

Happy Happy Birthday, children dear…

…Happy days will come to you all year!

If I had one wish, then it would be,

A happy happy birthday to you from me!

Birthdays I'm celebrating this month:

August 4 - bro-in-law Inoke, age 20
August 10 - brother Ryan/Boomer, age 34
August 23 - sis-in-law Heidi, age 38
August 23 - yours truly, The Big 3-0
August 25 - sis-in-law Kate, age 40 (?)
August 25 - sis-in-law Tema, age 26/7 (?)
August 25 - niece Estella, age 12
August 26 - brother Brady, age 38 (?)

Need a do-able craft idea?

Mammajam Gets Down is the blog of Crystal, Aki's cousin. She lives in Seattle and is a BYU grad who is extremely talented in the artistic department. Look at her latest "craft time" project that she did with her daughter. Great step-by-step instructions. I think I'll give it a try! While you're there, check out some of her illustrations. Maybe if she does one called "Lazy," I'll steal it for my profile photo. She is going to design a little Swap button for all of us to put on our blogs once we get the thing going.

Fall Fave Things swap. . . Interested?

Hey you guys, if I were to organize a swap, would you all pass the word to any bloggers you know, that way we can get a big variety of locations/people to make it more interesting? Let me know what you think.

It wouldn't have to be fancy or expensive. We all know it's fun to receive anything, especially a package, in the mail! I know a lot of people who do this put homemade treats and gifts in, and they turn out awesome. Since I'm not talented in the "homemade" anything department, I have to buy, and since shopping in Tooele is an oxymoron, I go simple. What really matters is that it's 3-5 items that you enjoy and want to pass on to someone else. It's not about IMPRESSING someone. That defeats the whole purpose.

To ease the pressure on people (and ease the budgets), we could set a $$ limit and maybe that would encourage more craft/homemade type stuff. . . I don't know, tell me what you think.

I'm so non-decisive!

Or maybe it's that once I decide, I can't commit. That's it. I gave up on the birds and am now trying this funky animal landscape (even though I didn't know deer and elephants went together. . .I like the green bananas hidden throughout). I should probably go back to black and white, because that's just easier on me--I don't have to decide colors or anything. Keep it simple. I've always had this problem, even as a kid I didn't have a "favorite color." When I see shirts offered in 15 colors, I seriously can't pick just one or two. I feel like I have to have them all. I can't decide (here we go again) if it's that I just love all the colors, or I'll feel bad about ones I don't choose. Like I said, black and white are just easier. But then I have to decide on a pattern—floral, dots, stripes, swirls, plaid, etc. What I'm trying to say is, don't ever expect the background to just stay the same for too long. I get a panicky feeling and must change, must change it. That's why there is nothing on the walls in my home, because I can't commit. I would change it all every two weeks and completely damage the walls. So, I change my blog background. . . no hammer or putty/paint needed.

UPDATE: the animal theme was a little too busy for me, so it has changed once again (and will many times more, I am sure)

Favorite Things Swap

A few weeks ago I signed up for a Favorite Things Swap on this blog. I received my package yesterday, and I was so excited! I had reason to be. The gal from California who sent to me did a STELLAR job. Check it out:
Not only was everything packaged and presented very cute—and all in RED, she gave some really nice things that happen to be her favorites:

1: a bath bomb from Lush
2: Goldie red nail polish (from B&BW)
3: Tazo herbal tea
4: Sprinkles red velvet cupcake mix (bakery of the celebs)
5: blank notebook (in design of Martha Stewart Crafts red bandanna)
6: a compact flourescent lightbulb - the girl conserves energy
7: and a great summer mix CD, again designed in MS red bandanna)

and she put all the smaller items in the cute red labeled jar you see in the pic.

What a fun package to open up and go through! I'm listening to the music right now, and I can't WAIT to make the cupcakes, then take a Lush-filled bath and paint my toenails while my herbal tea is brewing. :) Maybe then I'll change a light bulb and jot down some blog ideas in my fancy new notebook.
The most creative part was the front of her card—the text (sung to the tune of The Sound of Music's "My Favorite Things") goes:

Raindrops on ranunculas* and trips to IKEA,
Fresh cups of tea and some Cherry Garcia,
Red paper packages tied up with strings,**
These are a few of my favorite things!

Polished red toes peeking out from my sandals,
A bath bomb from Lush (add a tub and some candles),
Lyrics that make you just get up and sing,
These are a few of my favorite things!

When the dog bites, when the bee stings,
When I'm feeling sad…
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don't feel so bad!

Cupcakes (so good!) from my favorite place, Sprinkles,
Light bulbs that brighten to make your house twinkle,
Notebooks to capture the joy that life brings,
These are a few of my favorite things!

* - maybe I'm dumb, but I had to look it up. It means buttercups. She's a clever one!
** - everything really was tied with string (it was cute red&white, like peppermint)

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Here is the not-so-decorative package I sent out to my person in Arizona (click photo below to see up close). I included a summer mix CD as well, including some of the songs I have playing on my blog; some great office supplies like a list tablet, colored pens, sharpies, and post-it notes (I'm such a nerd, I tell you); a grapefruit-scented B&BW liquid hand soap and a Johnson & Johnson baby wash with cute baby washcloths, two of my favorite scents; some fall paper goods and fall-themed recipes (because I love a party!); and my favorite snacks (see the right margin of my blog for an idea. . .now think mailable ones). Then the kids included one of their favorite things: Makai, a bottle of bubbles and Ame, a Hawaiian flower for her hair.
Hopefully she receives it all in one piece and enjoys it!

If you haven't read the new Ensign yet…

…be sure to read the marriage article on p. 25. I was all teary-eyed by the end because of a journal entry cited in the article. It's one of the sweetest tributes to a wife I've ever read. My favorite part:

"I would rather you were here, woman, with your gray hair, than any fresh blossom of youth. Where you are is home."

I love, love, love that! Where you are is home. It's a great article, and I know I'll definitely be thinking about it all week as I anticipate my 6th wedding anniversary on Saturday. Sweet Aki's on my mind.

Mickey D's, anyone?

How pathetic is this?

I love my husband—today, anyway

Of course I always love him, but I really love him today. And for good reason. It's Fast Sunday, which is always a hard thing for a foodie like myself, but I make do. I got released and re-called to the YW Presidency today, so we had "business" to do after the regular meetings, which took awhile. On my way home I realized I had nothing planned for dinner (I had been up the night before preparing the lesson). I was so surprised to walk in to a very clean kitchen and the table beautifully set with a complete dinner. I didn't have to make a thing! Aki had made boneless BBQ pork ribs (baked until tender, then grilled - delicious), rice—a staple at our house, a great spinach salad, and fruit. And chocolate chip cookies. The best part is that while he was getting the drinks and everything together, he was quietly singing "fa la la la, la la la, fa la la la la LA" (from the song "When We're Helping We're Happy"). I don't even know if he realized it; I smiled to myself. So while I was eating my sticky, greasy goodness and filling my empty tummy, he looked at me inquisitively and asked, "Is it all right?" If he only knew.

If you've ever lost anything, you'll appreciate this

Click here to see a funny story about losing something. (It's the Aug 5 entry titled "Photobooth Friday"—you'll need to skip to the 2nd paragraph). Oh, about the butter she mentions, it's explained in her previous post.

At least SOMEONE is using the potty

I was walking by the bathroom today and found this little scenario:

Does Ame think it's funny? I don't. She will turn 3 in about 3 months, and I have yet to ever see the child do anything on the potty. She can sit there for an hour, just as happy as can be to just sit. It drives me crazy. That's it…I'm going to have her drink water often, leave the diaper off, and prepare myself for a few accidents. I want the diapers GONE! Any tips from you mothers of girls? I know boys are supposed to be harder, but truth be told, the daycare basically potty-trained Makai. I had very little to do with it, so I'm a novice at this. Sad, but true.

I so much love my big little boy

Meet my son Makai. He's only 4-1/2, but at 46 inches tall and 50 pounds, he certainly isn't little. Makai is going to tell you a little bit about himself. . . I will ask questions if needed, and type answers, and will preserve his language as much as possible:

I'm Makai Funaki. I'm 4 and I'm gonna go to kindergarten soon. Well, not a short time soon, but I am gonna go. I like to play with Parker after I do my chores. My favorite chore is unloading the dishwasher. The one that I hate is when Ame empties her drawers and puts clothes all over the floor, then she doesn't help clean it up—that's my hate chore.

I'm good at singing, and I'm good at helping and taking care of Ame. I like to color with markers downstairs in the playroom, and I like to play with my sister.I don't like when my mommy and daddy get mad at me and I have consequences. I wish I was so good that I could do whatever I wanted, like play the computer or watch TV. I wish I could have a Batman room.

My favorite treat is ice cream sandwiches, and my second favorite is rice krispy treats. My favorite food is chicken and beef and rice and salt. My favorite movie is Finding Nemo. My favorite TV show is Diego—oh, and WonderPets too, and LazyTown. When I grow up I want to be a firefighter—protect people when they're in danger and fires. I don't want to be a missionary. I just want to go to church, because it's about the Holy Ghost, Heavenly Father, and Jesus, and learning new songs.

Thank you for your words, Makai. I'm glad you enjoy beef—and salt (?). I guess we'll have to work on the whole missionary thing. I don't know, maybe it's because you've already been to the MTC 6+ times in your life, and you're burned out.

I Y you, Mr. Mak!

[55 Makai trying to get used to the swimming pool, and then dressed in Tongan attire for the Pioneer Day parade —he was dressed to be his great-grandfather, Sione Kolo Funaki.]

I like this man.

He knows what he wants—he's not kidding around!