OOPS!!

Well turns out, after unpacking everything, that we forgot our USB port for the camera so we can put pictures onto the computer!!
There's always something right? So we're going down to the camera shop today to see if they have another one for us. If not then we'll have to tell Shauna and see if she can send it to us.
So I took a couple of pic's on the plane so once we get that sorted I'll post them.
So we get to the Salt Lake airport and go up to the counter for Delta and the guy there takes one look at all our luggage and says "I hope you're ready to pay!".
I was thinking "Great we've got one of those guys."
Dru stated that he thought we'd be ok and started to put the bags on the scale.
Boom first bag dead on 50 pounds. The guy couldn't believe it. Out of the 6 bags, two were dead on 50 and the rest were around 53. He wouldn't let it slide either so Dru had to do some rearranging for the bags to all get on. We ended up leaving the stove top and the shaving cream, toothpaste etc. Nothing that we can't get in NZ. They also let us take Masaru's car seat, which we're so pleased about.
NZ's car seats are crap. They don't have a buckle around the kids chest, so when we were here in Jan we discoverd that Masaru could get out of the seat!! I was driving at the time and looked in my rearview mirror and there was Masaru just hanging out, standing up in the back seat. I almost crashed the car and screamed at him to get into his seat. Lol. I can laugh at it now but I wasn't laughing at the time.
So the SLC to SFO flight was good. We were on the very back seat and had both sides. Masaru flipped from one side to the other and both the kids were pretty good.
Then we got to SFO and just had enough time to walk from that plane to the International Terminal.
The San Fransico airport was dead to the world with hardly anyone around, so it was peaceful and realxing.
So that's great because Masaru decided to throw a huge meltdown fit right there and then. We basically had to drag him through security and onto the plane. The lady in security said to me "So how are you doing today?" I took one look at her and said "Not good."
So she got Masaru some stickers and he stuck them on the bottoms of his shoes and stopped crying for a second. So that was nice.
Anyway the Air NewZealand flight was the best we've been on. The plane was clean and new. The cot we got for Yuki was clean and suade. Our seats were wider and seemed to go back a little more. The attendants were at our beck and call. The flight wasn't full by a long shot so Masaru could lie down and sleep while Dru went to a seat behind me. The food was the best we've had on a plane. The movies were on demand so you could watch what you wanted when you wanted and pause when one of the kids needed something.
It was a nice fight. Yuki couldn't have been better. She ate 3 times and slept basically the rest of the time. She was amazing!!
Masaru slept about 60% of the time and the rest of the time was watching movies, eating or playing around. I'm glad he got his fit out at the airport, because one in the plane would've been disasterous.
We landed and were the first flight in for the day. So there were no lines and plenty of relaxed people.
However we discovered they lost our carseat and one of our bags. It was the bag with Dru's climbing gear and paintball guns in it!! One expensive bag!!
So my poor brother, Haydn, was waiting for us forever. Luckily one of the volunteer guys went out and told him the story and we'd be out once they had sorted out our bag and carseat.
I asked them what we were going to do without a carseat as we had to travel to Tok. with my child. One lady said "Well the Warehouse opens at 9am you could buy one"
Well I almost had a fit and stated "Why should I buy a carseat, when I have one and you guys lost it? You need to provide me with a carseat for my son!"
This guy was nice and probably understood that we had just gotten off a 13 hour flight and were tired and my patience was wearing thin. I just wanted to be gone! So they gave us a loaner carseat and we were off. However we still had to get through security and we had beef jerky to show them.
Turns out even though the beef jerky is ok for americans to eat and produce it's not good enough for NZ since the beef had a 20% chance of coming from Brazil and Uruguay. So they THREW IT OUT!!!
That's the last time we're bringing jerky through for my brother. I'm sick of them throwing our jerky out.
Anyway we FINALLY got through and Masaru decided to throw another huge, meltdown, fit right at the head of security where you put your big bags through.
This was the first time my brother, Haydn, had met Masaru and was laughing at this welcome.
I assured him Masaru wasn't like this all the time and he really was a good kid!!
We were off on the road though and eventually made it, with a couple of stops, to Tokoroa.
We've unpacked most of our stuff and are working on Dru's job situation, which looks promising.
Today's goals are to open a bank account and get some more coat hangers.
Love you guys
Dru, Milz, Masaru and Yuki

And then there were two!

OK, so now that Dru and Melissa have moved across the "pond" there are really only two of us who will be writing on this blog. Dru says he is going to continue to post, and I have my fingers crossed, but who knows if that will really happen. With Leslie so busy with school and the kids that leaves your truly to fill in the gaps. This could be a really interesting 6 months for our blog. Hope you all like seeing pictures of Myles and Yoda. You are going to get really sick of us. I wish I had Angie's talent at blogging, I don't so you will all just have to suffer.

Here are a few pictures of Myles in the last two weeks. He is getting really chunky! He has also started to smile and see better. He and Bjorn exchanged smiles for a few min. this afternoon. I can't believe how fast he is changing. Gone are the days of my "sleepy little bear", now I have a "roaring lion" each afternoon. It's all good though, I love it!Here is Myles after a bath. He likes his bath now that he can get into the tub all the way. None of that sponge bath crap!Lorie came for a visit last week. It was great to see her and she thinks Myles is beautiful.

We'll miss you guys

Well we're off in 2 days! Last minute things are getting done and we're slowly saying our goodbyes to people.
I thought we had gotten out of speaking in church, but a memeber of the bishopric approached me last Sunday and asked me to speak. My first reaction was "What about Dru?" But Dru got out of it. So it's only me. So on top of everything else I'm also working on a talk.
I guess I just wanted you guys to know how much we love you and are going to miss you. Even though it seems like all my dreams are coming true, I know I'll miss Utah and everyone.
I also know it's going to fly by and we'll be back causing mischief in no time. Have a great Thanksgiving and Christmas. I hope the blessing goes well Brooke and that Graham has a great baptism. It's things like these that makes me sad Dru and I are from different countries. We'll always be missing out on something in someones family for all of our lives.
I'll post every week and I'm sure Dru will call and talk to his family often.
I thought these pic's of Masaru were great!! So I thought I'd leave them with you to make you smile!!

Life...

I've been thinking a lot about the miracle of life these last few days. With the birth of our long awaited angel and the death of my BFF's baby and then the death of a guy I was in H.S. with(way too young to die) I have thought and cried a lot this week. Life has come as such a blessing to this house, yet to others life has been taken away. I have thought about how these individuals who have been left behind must feel. Life just isn't fair. I feel guilt to have such a healthy adorable baby when my BFF has lost her little guy. I feel guilt to have such a wonderful, healthy, loving husband when others are left to raise a child without a spouse. I feel soooo blessed to have the gospel in my life and to know that these sweet people will all be reunited with their loved ones again. Comforting thoughts?, for me, but I'm sure not as comforting for those who are grieving the loss of their child or spouse. I think about all the times that I have complained about my problems in life. Then I think about Bryce and the way he fought with such dignity to beat cancer. His wife has told the story so eloquently and it makes you stop and think about the things in life you are complaining about. I think I will be trying a little harder each day to complain a little less about the things of this life. After all I still have a life and I have a wonderful devoted spouse who loves me. I still have an adorable little child who I can cradle in my arms when the moment so moves me. Life is so precious, yet so frail. Just something to think about...

An Eclectic Bunch

Well, as we are now posting the newest cutest photos of our bunch, I will include mine. Only I apologize if the photos are blurry. Our camera "disappeared" on the day I had a huge birthday party for the twins in June. I took a picture of them and our neighbor's son (who shared the party) and then the battery died. I set it up on a ledge near my front door and I haven't seen it since. Come to find out that our neighbor's camera disappeared from our house on the same day. Anyway, of late I have used one of Mas's old cameras, with which I have to take six blurry pictures for every good one. For your viewing pleasure, this year we have Ethan starring as a "Dementor," Graham as a superhero (first a dress rehearsal as Captain Underpants, and then as Superman), Seth as Count Dracula (or Dacoola, as Tate puts it), and Tate as the greatest ninja turtle "Leonardo." I've also included one a Masaru last night when he made an appearance. The boys started out like tornados blazing through the neighborhood, but the twins quickly lost steam. By the the time we were rounding back to our house, Seth and Tate didn't even want to go to the doors anymore. "I'm done," they said. It turned out to be a fun night for all!

Happy Halloween

OR

Myles' first Halloween! He dressed up as a pumpkin. I have to say that he looked really cute too!

His stats are in. At his one month Dr. appointment he had done quite well. He now weighs 9lb. 12 oz. and is 22 1/4 inches long. When he was born for the length he was he should have weighted one more pound than he did. He has now made up for that one pound. He now has little fat rolls at the tops of his legs. Even his elephant skin around the knees are gone. Can't wait to see you all at Christmas time. I know he will look different to you all then.

Halloween 2007

Well Masaru was excited about this year's Halloween because he was going to get lots of "lollies". He loved his outfit, thanks Auntie Leslie, and I did too as it was easy to put on and keep him warm. He got way too much candy, that I know I"m going to eat a lot of, but had tons of fun. It was great as Dru missed out last year and so took Masaru around this year.
Fun fun all around.