2gether 4ever

Potty Time!

2010-08-25T19:22:00.003-10:00

I am ECSTATIC! Mika just made shi-shi in the new little potty we bought her, after watching her big sister in action! This is definitely easier the second go round :) I just hope we keep her excited about going in there...

P.S. We bought the cheapest, simplest little potty thingy from Walmart that easily turns into a step stool when not in use (just put the lid down like a real toilet) and it's working great so far!

Dude, it's been so long!

2010-08-21T17:45:00.004-10:00

So...Maybe I should be called the "Birthday Blogger" because my last post was about Elia's birthday and in 2 weeks (5 months later) it will be Mika's birthday! In any case, I actually have something fun to blog about so here goes...

For our family outing today, we went to Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe and had a blast feeding the fishes and ducks! It was totally free (except for stopping to get hand rolls from Kozo sushi for our picnic lunch), very beautiful and relaxing! Here's some shots of our day and gorgeous surroundings:

I totally recommend if for those of you with children (remember to bring at least a loaf of bread- it goes quickly) and for people who are aspiring photographers...you will have plenty to shoot!

Turning 4 and other Big News :D

2010-04-20T16:18:00.003-10:00

Elia is now 4 years old! We had an "Ariel" themed birthday party for her 2 Saturdays ago and she's still thanking me for her "pool and cake party" :D I'm grateful for a thankful child! Here's some photos of the beautiful sunny day that was just the "icing on the cake" after having a gloomy weather week...

Thank you Aunty Lauren for the new pool!

Elia had lost of fun in it with her cousins Ian & Jesse and buddy Santiago!

The cake :D

The special "under the sea" treats mommy made...

can you see the big fishy inside?

Fishing fun with cousin Tyson

The other big news is that Sam took his Nuke test yesterday and passed with flying colors!! We are so excited and happy! His recruiter even called to say that it was one of the best scores they've had at MEPS! By the end of this week we will get the official word on the waiver acceptance, but everything is looking good.... YEE-HAW! We are so thankful for this awesome blessing!

Good Friday

2010-04-02T18:38:00.004-10:00

...yup that's what it was today in beautiful Hawai'i Nei :) We finally took the girls to the beach after a long hiatus with each of us taking turns being sick! The sun was playing peek-a-boo and it was little windy, but at least it was a warm breeze ;)

About 3 months ago I posted that our family would be experiencing "Big Changes in 2010"...boy, I never realized how BIG they would be! After much prayer and fasting, we've decided to give the green light to Sam joining the Navy! He's already taken the ASVAB (got an awesome score too!) and is studying up to take another test to get into the Nuclear program. We've also got to wait and see if he'll get a age waiver. If everything goes according to plan, we could be living in South Carolina for 2 years while he goes to school...we are excited! Having lived on this island for both of our lives, we are anxious to begin a new adventure! So, treasuring our opportunities to swim in the beautiful and warm Pacific Ocean is a must!

Big Changes for 2010!

2009-12-22T20:27:00.003-10:00

Well, the New Year will definitely be bringing some big changes for the Cheney Ohana... we are moving! Yup, due to our desire to pay off some bills and prepare for Sam going back to school, probably in the Fall, we've decided to return to Kahana where we will live on my parents' property. These past few days (and the next few weeks will be nothing but preparing for the move, and moving! We'll only be pausing to celebrate Christmas! Today we made some big progress in putting up the entire skeletal structure for the extension we are building! Big mahalos to the Naeole family, Freebairns and of course my own siblings who helped out A TON! If all goes as planned, our project will be complete BEFORE I return to work on Monday, Jan.4! We'll see...wish us luck! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year everyone!!

Hat 2 Da Back!

2009-11-01T16:54:00.003-10:00

Halloween 2009

Both girls were Tinker Bell this year, thanks to Grandma and Papa :) I must say it was a popular costume... On Tuesday night we had our Ward's annual Trunk 'O Treat and got lots of goodies, then on Saturday night we took the girls to Windward Mall to trick 'o treat and got about half as much... so much for the good old days of getting a sack full of candy!

Mika was fussy for the most part, but she smiles on demand

when the camera comes out ;)

Elia won our Ward costume contest for "Most Magical" in

her age category!

Our theme for our trunks this year was "Your Favorite Scripture Story"

We did Noah's Ark and won the cateogry "Most Fun".

The girls got a hold of Sam's hat and provided a great

"Kodak" moment ;)

Simply...FUN :D

2009-10-20T20:15:00.003-10:00

FHE Last night: Who knew you could have so much fun

with just a blanket, some stuffed animals, and 2 giggly girls??

Mika enjoys flossing...with the whole roll of course!

Just don't make her brush her teeth!

Perfect weather for the beach...at 5pm!

It was just so hot, we said "Why Not?"

Elia and her BFF, Kayla enjoy making sand

creations...

Mika looking "Oh, So Cute" in her bathing suit ;)

Less is More

2009-10-05T11:20:00.002-10:00

Yesterday when I came home from watching conference at my parents house I started thinking about this idea...."less is more". At the beginning of August we got the news that Sam's hours would be cut in half at his former full time job...I was angry and frustrated at this news! Then recently I've had to take a 8% pay cut (but we did get 2 Fridays off every month!). With all of these cuts and having "less", I have learned to find the hidden blessings, even things that I prayed for.

For example, last year my schedule was so CRAZY with having to be taxi driver to and from school and work. Now with Sam being half time, he only works 3 days a week (and gets to stay home with the girls 2 days a week), and he now doesn't start work until 8am which now allows him to be the taxi driver and take Elia to school :D Having less money really does have it's perks! Here's "more"...

Less income= learning to be MORE frugal and smart with our money (we are saving more now than ever before!!)

Less money = being MORE creative on what we do for "date nights" :)

Less days working= MORE days home with the kids and time to get home projects done

Less hours of work= MORE time to get ready in the morning (which any parent with grumpy children who don't want to brush their teeth in the morning can appreciate!)

I am VERY grateful for all that we do have and now that we have "less" of some things, it has allowed me to see these things more clearly. To anyone else who is going through similar financial struggles, I say '"find joy in the journey" and hold on tight to the ones you love. Our eternal families are the most precious things we have!

Where in the WORLD....

2009-09-19T18:44:00.008-10:00

has the Cheney Ohana been?? Not blogging lately, that's for sure ;) Well, this past Tuesday night our Enrichment Activity lesson was on "Family History" and of course they talked about keeping journals, and all that good stuff...which got me to feeling really guilty about not keeping up with this, our "family journal" that I WAS doing. So, I'm getting back on track, so to say :D

The most recent and exciting thing we've done lately is celebrate Mika's 1st Birthday!! Following tradition, I took the day off to spend it with my precious little one. We had to run some errands, I took her to the mall play area, and then we celebrated with ice cream at Farrells! Here are some photos of the happy occassion:

On Saturday, September 5 we had her birthday party at my parent's place in Kahana Bay...

Little Ms. Independent had to do the bubbles all by herself!

Yummy Haupia cake from Ted's Bakery...

Time for presents!

This is the beautiful quilt Mika's birth mom made for her!

You can tell she likes it ;)

Happy 4th 2009!

2009-07-09T13:33:00.004-10:00

That morning, we went to the 4th of July parade in Kailua for the

first time...

Here's a cute group of girls doing the poi balls!

Here's the scary Samurai guy who tried to chop my husband in half!

We went together with our friends the Allreds and their

2 children Justin & Kayla. Kayla & Elia are BFFs ;)

Hope you all had a great time too!

KONA

2009-06-28T18:30:00.006-10:00

What an adventure! Sam & I flew out on Friday night....although we missed our original flight! I had checked us in and printed out our boarding passes at home, which didn't have our gate number on it. Once we found our gate number on the screen, I mixed it up and had us at gate 59 instead of 56...by the time we figured this out the plane was ready to depart! Thankfully the nice people at Hawaiian airlines moved us to the next flight, which was only 20 minutes later :D Whew, that was a close one!

Once on the beautiful island of Hawai'i we booked it to get our rental car and find the theaters...Sam wanted to watch "Transformers" first thing! How fitting that we should get a yellow wanna-be "Bumble Bee" chevie cobalt ;) Unfortunately, the movie was sold out by the time we got there...but, since we had driven all the way there we watched "The Proposal" instead. It definitely had it's funny moments!

The beautiful red sunset on Friday night while driving to the theaters!

After the movies, we finally checked into our hotel...and Sam checked his email where we had a very sweet and cute video message from Elia, wishing mommy & daddy "Happy Anniversary!" (Thanks mom!)

One of the best parts of our mini vacation was being able to sleep in (Mika gets up at 5:30-6am everyday)! I actually still woke up at 5:30am, but got myself to go back to sleep :) The only bad part was that the pillows sucked, so we didn't sleep as well as we would have in our own bed...

Saturday morning I discovered I had left a crucial part of my temple attire at home, so we had to reschedule our temple session for a later one, which thankfully once again, wasn't a problem. Since we had extra time before our session we dropped by Denny's for breakfast, but they were too busy so we opted for danishes and chocolate milk from Safeway. We drove to the temple and ate in the parking lot. It was amazing to see and feel the difference in our surroundings once we were there. It truly is a beautiful place filled with the Spirit.

After our session we dropped off the car and boarded the plane (this time without any mishaps:). Once back on Oahu wouldn't you know...Sam was still determined to see that movie, so straight from the airport, we headed to yet another theater (can you tell we like movies?)! AND we got to view another beautiful sunset sky on our drive...

"Better with time"

2009-06-26T13:40:00.002-10:00

Our Special Day

June 28, 2003

Sam & I at TVA 2003

In a few hours we are taking off for Kona to take in a session at the temple and celebrate our 6th anniversary. As I sit here and reflect on my marriage, I am sooo grateful to have married Sam! I am grateful for answers to prayers, because it helped me to choose between two good things (mission or marriage). I'm grateful that 6 years later we are better friends, better communicators, better at making each other happy and more as one. Sometimes I wish I could fast forward to 4, 10, 20 years from now and see how much more we will grow. One thing I do know is that if we continue to live the gospel, and keep Him at the center of our lives, our marriage and love will always get better with time... I love you Sam and everyday I love you more! Happy Anniversary My Love!

Where, oh where...

2009-06-18T14:54:00.004-10:00

DOES THE TIME GO?!? It's been almost 2 months since my last post and I'm like "what?!" So what was the reason for my absence? Well, first it was the fact that Sam kidnapped our camera to do stuff at his work place (I'm seriously sad that I have no pictures of Mika for the month of May!) and then it was plain laziness on my part...

But I'm back now and hope to be more diligent in keeping our blog updated :D I really have no excuse now, since I'm at home on summer break!! YEE-HAW! So, what's up with the Cheneys? Well, here's some updates:

Sam's has a special project this summer. He is making Titi Torea sticks for PCC to earn us some extra cash. His first order will be delivered on July 1, so every free week night and weekend this month has been dedicated to sewing, painting and braiding for the bags and sticks. It's kinda embarrassing to say but, Sam is the one doing all the sewing, while I am simply the eager student :)

Lethe is home on summer vacation until July 28 and enjoying time with the girls! She has started a preschool group with some of her friends and they meet every Tuesday and Thursday for a couple hours, and all the mommies take turns teaching a lesson/activity. This was our first week and it was a success! I'm also reading this book I highly recommend to all you mommies "A Mother's Book of Secrets" by Linda Eyre & Shawni Eyre Pothier. Thank you Caira & Caryn!

Elia has been enjoying sleeping in, swimming in her pool and playing with her baby sister. I gotta say that 3 year olds are lots of FUN! Less tantrums, more smiles, and she's such a big helper! I also get a kick out of the things she says, like "Mommy, what are you talking about?"and how her sense of humor is really kicking in :D

Mika is just growing by leaps and bounds...which isn't to say that she's getting any bigger (she's still my petite little girl who is now 9 months old and weighs only about 15 pounds or so)! But she sure is keeping us busy! Our little girl is crawling and standing everywhere she can (her favorite spot is the bathroom- we've learned to always try to keep that door closed) and has already started taking over her sister's toys. Just this morning the two girls were wrestling over a toy, and I couldn't believe it! I thought it would take much longer for this stage to start! She's also eating a wide variety of foods...not just the baby stuff and dives or swipes for whatever she can reach. Just today she stuck her fingers in her daddy's ice cream ;) She is also our little dancer, bobbing to the beat of any music she hears! She is such a joy and has a contagious smile that shows 2 of her now 6 teeth...yup, got the tooth brush busy too!

Next weekend, to celebrate our 6th year anniversary Sam and I are going to Kona! We're staying one night and catching a not too early temple session in the morning, then fly home that afternoon. My parents were kind enough to watch the girls for us, so a big MAHALO to GRANDMA & PAPA! I'll be sure to post some pictures from our mini vacation on here. Till then...

Kaka'ako Park :D

2009-04-24T19:48:00.007-10:00

Last Saturday we met up with some very good friends of ours at Kaka'ako Waterfront Park and had a BLAST bar-b-queing and sliding down the hills on our picnic mat and small pieces of cardboard that we scrapped up :D The weather was beautifully sunny with a nice breeze too! Ahhhh... just another day in paRaDiSE!!

Birthday Girl!

2009-04-19T10:08:00.000-10:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Following tradition, we had a 2 day celebration for Elia's 3rd birthday. On the real date we go and do something fun as a family and then on the following Saturday we party! This year we took Elia to Sea Life Park, which was perfect because they were running a Kama'aina Special that weekend :D I also happened to have the day off for Good Friday! Sam couldn't join us :(, but my parent & siblings did :) It was a FUN 3 day weekend!

Happy Birthday My Love!

2009-03-19T17:36:00.005-10:00

Tomorrow is Sam's 28th birthday, and in honor of my special guy I decided to share with the world the Top 10 reasons why I love him...

1. We have a true partnership in our marriage. We help each other out with anything and everything!

2. He is a GREAT daddy...he can always get Elia to smile and laugh during those rough moments when she doesn't want to brush her teeth or take a bath! He also never complains when I tell him it's his turn to get Mika a bottle in the wee hours of the morning :)

3. He misses me just as much as I miss him when we're not together (even if it's only for a day, an hour, or less).

4. He has the corniest sense of humor! Very silly and innocent :)

5. He is so handy and talented! From carpentry work to plumbing, electrical, locks, computers, and everything in between, he does it all! Not to mention that he's a musician and takes beautiful photos!

6. He is an "outside of the box" kind of thinker. He always has an unique perspective on things, which opens my eyes to new things.

7. He is a person of integrity. With big and small things, he is always honest.

8. For all the big things, we see eye to eye. I love that he respects me and values my opinion about everything :)

9. He is one handsome guy :D

10. He believes in giving back and giving big!

There are so many other things I could add, but I'll just sum it all up by saying "I love you babe, U DA BES"!! Happy Birthday and I look forward to sharing many more with you...

M.I.A.

2009-03-14T08:02:00.005-10:00

Yes, the Cheney Ohana has been "Missing In Action" on the blogging scene for a few weeks now... for good reason! Lethe was sick with a sinus infection for a week, then the stomach flu bug decided to pay the girls a visit...first Elia, then Mika! They both threw-up for a few hours, but then the diarrhea set in and for Mika it lasted for more than a week! On our worst day Mika had about 30 dirty diapers (I'm not exaggerating)!! The good thing is that neither girls got dehydrated, so we just had to ride it out and stocked up on Pedialyte and cornstarch (for Mika's bum). It's been 24 hours of only wet diapers, and I tell you, I couldn't be more happy to see shi-shi! :D

Caught! Mika playing with her crib bumper

In happier news, Mika is now 6 months old and her 2 favorite things are paper and buttons... specifically calculators, the keyboard, and remote controls. It is so good to see her back to her happy, smiley self! Right before she got sick we started trying to feed her solids, rice cereal and carrots were the first attempt. Boy, I wish I got pictures of the face she made! Yeah, I'm finding that it is gonna be a bit tricker to get this little one to eat... we've also tried bananas and apples with about the same response- gagging and spitting her food out. This will be our next project I guess ;)

Matching dresses...I love having 2 girls :)

Elia continues to be the great big sister! She and Mika play together and it is the cutest thing! They both crack up together over the silliest things. Last night Elia was playing with a beach ball, throwing it into a laundry basket, and Mika starts laughing loud and putting on a big smile. So of course Elia repeated the same actions over and over to get her sister's same reaction :D Elia makes Sam and I smile because of the new words she's learning (and repeating- watch out!). She'll be 3 years old in less than a month and we're planning on having a "Cat in the Hat" birthday party for her on April 11. We hope the weather will be nice that day!

P.S. Here's a sample of Mika's typing:

.-0-;-09-

Tie-Dye flowers

2009-02-26T07:34:00.005-10:00

On Sunday night we had a fun FHE... we made these simple paper flowers that brought out each of our "artistic" sides. Sam's was really cool! I've always admired his creativeness... Elia got into it to, and the markers got all over her! Oh well, definitely worth the fun memories :)

P.S. I learned how to do this little art project at one of our preschool workshops. All you need is coffee filters, markers, water, and pipe cleaners (actually making it into flowers was my friend's idea).

LOVE-ly Day

2009-02-15T07:27:00.003-10:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day! In celebration of Valentine's Day, Sam got me the traditional roses and he also got V-Day balloons for the girls, clipped to Elia's favorite... Goldfish. But, because it was so windy, Mika's balloon flew away :( (it got yanked right off of the string by the wind). That's okay, she still enjoyed her sister's one :)

My good friend Liz invited Sam and I to the opening of her brother's new resturant, "The Counter" at Kahala Mall and I found out when we got there that we wouldn't have to pay for this meal because it was a "practice party"! The food was delicious build your own burgers with the best "sweet fries" (sweet potato fries) that I've tasted yet! Not to mention the yummy banana chocolate shake! Yes, I practically had to roll myself out of there! Muchas Gracias Liz!

AND we got to make it a real "date" because my other good friend Isabel volunteered to watch the girls (we watched their two boys later that evening)! While at Kahala Mall Sam surprised me with another V-Day gift... the iPOD Nano I've been eyeing!! Really, it was a beautiful day :) :) Thank you babe for making is such a memorable Valentine's for us! The best gift is you...

Kahana Update

2009-02-07T12:25:00.003-10:00

Yesterday was one of the Senate committee hearings for the 4 bills that we are trying to pass to keep the families in Kahana and make sure that future generations will be there also! There were many testimonies given (unfortunately I got there at the tail end because I had to work), some in support, and some against (by our own family I might add- sad, right?), and some with ideas on ammending the bills. I even got up the courage to share a short and sweet testimony of my own :) In the end the bills were pushed forward to the next stage in the process! I am very grateful for the power of prayer and the support of good people!

Morning Mantra

2009-01-27T05:40:00.003-10:00

Life is GOOD...

like the picture perfect sky put on display on the drive to work,

when you discover that the thing you worried and fretted about isn't as bad as it seems,

you find your passion, live your passion and overcome all obstacles in the way.

Life if GOOD...

whenever you get back in the "groove" of anything and everything you once loved to do,

like the help to turn that mountain into a mole hill,

like your favorite song from long ago that you find once more :)

Life is GOOD...

when you find your "second wind" and make it all the way,

like the perfect gift that makes you say, "How did you know?",

when you have hope, charity, keep the faith, and learn to forgive

May we always remember and never forget that "Life is GOOD!"

Special Delivery!

2009-01-22T19:27:00.004-10:00

I finally got the chance to pick-up the package my awesome friend Becca sent me in the mail and now have a complete set of cute, colorful cloth diapers! Thanks so much Becca for taking the time to sew these for me! She gave me special instructions about stuffing them with microfiber (the stuff that will aborb the shi-shi) before using them, but of course I couldn't wait to try them on Mika...so during our little photo shoot she peed in them and I got to see just how that PUL stuff works ;) Here's a few shots of Mika modeling her new garb...

They're edible too ;)

Yummy, Yummy!

2009-01-10T15:51:00.004-10:00

We just got back from Kaneohe...Sam took me for a pre-birthday lunch at "Pahke's" where we ate some onolicious Honey Glazed Walnut Shrimp (my favorite), Local style Chow Fun and Minute Chicken. Elia enjoyed each of the dishes as much as her mommy and daddy did ;) Then we went over to Cold Stone for dessert, and like always, Sam liked my flavor better... I've told him many times that he should always just let me order for him!

So on Wedneday, January 14, I'm going to be 28 years old... I definitely don't feel 28, or 27 for that matter! I can hardly believe that this year will be my 10 year High School reunion, or that I ve been out of college for nearly 6 years now! Where has the time gone??? I promise, each year seems to just whiz by faster and faster...it feels like everyone around me is getting older, but I'm still just 21.

Well, to keep my outside looking like how I feel inside, I went and got a little pampered this past week... got my hair cut and flat ironed and had a pedicure. Oh, and I'm also ditching my glasses and got my contacts back (which I'm really loving). I'm feeling good about getting "older"...as long as I don't look like it too much ;)

New Year news...

2009-01-06T11:50:00.012-10:00

I originally wanted to name this post "Up for grabs", but then I remembered that there are other things I wanted to include in this post, although we are only 6 days into 2009! So here goes...

We spent New Year's Eve at the Duke's house and had a blast eating Filipino food, playing pool and playing Guitar Hero, before finally doing small kine fireworks to officially welcome in 2009!

Then on Jan. 4, the first Sunday of the year, we got to finally bless Mika! We wish we could have gotten mor

e photos with friends and family who came, but our thanks go out to them anyways! Mika got really FUSSY right before it was time, so Sam ended up feeding her a bottle while he blessed her! It was multi-tasking at it's finest!

My sister Lauren also came to this special occasion, which meant a lot to us!

So here's why I wanted to name this post "Up for Grabs"...

Our little Mika is now "Ms. Sticky Fingers" (literally, because her fingers/fist are always in her mouth!) She hasn't yet found anything as good for sucking as her fingers, but she's willing to try anything... Elia's hair, mommy's glasses, the keyboard... whatever is within reach! She continues to have the CUTEST smile and saddest p

outy face. I'm also happy to report that she is still sleeping through the night (better not jinx myself) and I have those sticky fingers to thank for that!

As for my little lady, Elia, she is so PRECIOUS! It is cute and funny to hear her expanding her sentences, asking questions, and being a big sister! Now that day time potty training is

mastered (after many mishaps and setbacks), we've moved on to the night time training. So far, so good. We did have one really bad night where I had to change her clothes and all her bedding TWO TIMES, but my attitude is "Hey, whatever it takes to say bye-bye forever to those pricey pull-ups"! All kidding aside, this is hard work! Sam and I are each taking one "bathroom break" during those sleeping hours! It really helps that there is a bathroom in the girls room (despite the smallness of our home). For any of you mothers out there on the same trek, I have one word for you... CONSISTENCY. Give those pampers/pull-ups away and never look back!

The Best Christmas!

2008-12-30T07:58:00.002-10:00

No, I didn't get a 2 carat diamond ring or anything "grand" like that... This Christmas was simply the best because we spent it together as a family... PLUS ONE! It was a peaceful and happy time with memories to cherish...

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Our Special Day

2008-12-22T07:29:00.004-10:00

The Soliven Ohana

The Cheney Clan

Mommy & the girls...Elia tries to make shaka ;)

On Saturday, December 20 we had our sealing at the Laie Hawaii Temple! We got to the temple a little after 7:00am and we're ready to go by 7:30am. Our sealer's name was Bro. Au and he was a sweet old man, who almost started before our family and friends arrived, even though we were scheduled to begin at 8:00am. By 7:50 am, our friends and family began to arrive...we happily welcomed Laurie Flores, the Solivens (my parents), the Cheneys (Sam's parents & Yee Man), Buckinghams, Cifuentes, Richs, Allreds, Caseys, our special angel Sally Lee, and Mika's birth grandparents who flew in just to join us for this special day! We send our love and thanks to each of you! If I forgot anyone, please forgive me!

The ceremony was short, but very special. Mika was so adorable as she held onto Sam's thumb and she even held out and didn't start crying until the very end ;) I felt so full of gratitude, love, and happiness! Being in the temple is always such a peaceful and happy place and to be there surrounded by loved ones, is just awesome!

Afterwards, we had some breakfast at the pavilion next to the temple and got to enjoy each other's company some more. You'll notice that Sam isn't in any of the photos because he had to hurry off to work :( It was a beautiful day and an amazing experience...truly, our God is a God of miracles!

A Blessing and a Miracle

2008-12-13T09:23:00.003-10:00

Christmas has definitely come early for our family this year! Back in July when we found out the news that we would be welcoming another baby girl to our ohana, we surely felt this! Then just about a week ago, we had another great blessing given...we were given an early court date (early by 6-8 weeks, which is usually how long you have to wait) to finalize our adoption, which will enable us to go to the Laie Hawaii Temple to have Mika sealed to us before it closes at the end of December for 18-24 months!! Next week Tuesday, Mika will legally be ours! Then on Saturday, Dec. 20 we make it for all time and eternity! We truly feel blessed beyond measure and feel so grateful for the tender mercies that the Lord has shown us...

'Tis the Season...

2008-12-07T11:58:00.007-10:00

We weren't going to do it, but we did buy a Christmas tree this year... and Elia was such a great helper decorating it! She loved putting the hooks on the ornaments and passing them to daddy and mommy. She's also been really good at not touching them or pulling the off the tree (with the exception of the pair of wooden slippers, 'cause she has a slipper fetish!). Sam's sister, Becky, carved and hand painted these Hawaiian Christmas ornaments (plumeria, ukulele, Aloha shirt, slippers, Hawaiian teddy bear on a sleigh) and they were a gorgeous addition to our tree this year! Thank you Becky!! We love looking at our tree all light up and smelling that unforgettable "Christmas smell"!

We also attended our Ward Christmas party last night and it was a beautiful and spiritual event! They portrayed the birth of Christ and it was really something! Helps us remember the "reason for the season"! You might also notice that Elia has bangs now...she had her first hair cut yesterday too!

Wonderful Discovery!

2008-12-04T17:00:00.005-10:00

On the evening of Nov. 30, Mika made the wonderful discovery of her fingers! From that night on she has been sleeping through the night!! Can you tell we're excited? Boy it feels so awesome to get a good night's sleep!

Here's a photo of Elia at the BYU Christmas Tree lighting we went to last night too:

Work & Play

2008-11-23T12:32:00.009-10:00

Mika playing "peek-a-boo!"

She now loves her binky!

My pretty girl!

"Ready to go mommy!" "Hey, let's GO!"

Elia likes to help mommy wash dishes

My little artist :)

Sunshine Bear

2008-11-05T15:57:00.005-10:00

On Monday we took Mika for her 2 month check-up. Here are her new stats:

10 pounds, 4 ounces

22 inches long

The doctor put her on her belly and was surprised at how much she holds up her head and moves around! She said, "I don't know where you think you're going little one, but you're not quite equipped for all that!" We are so happy to know that she is doing well. She also had her 3 shots, and 1 oral drink thingy. She cried so loud and sharp, Sam and I both started tearing up :( I wish like anything that I could have taken them for her!

Mika continues to be a JOY! Sunshine Bear is my new nickname for her because every morning she wakes up around 5-5:30am with a big smile on her face, ready to play and be sung to. She's also just round all over! She loves to try and imitate sounds and does a lot of cooing. It is THE cutest thing! Parenthood is definitely hard work, but those smiles make it all worth it!

Halloween 2008

2008-11-04T08:06:00.002-10:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

"People united will never be defeated"

2008-10-27T12:41:00.006-10:00

This was our chant as we stood arm in arm this morning at 5am in anticipation of the bulldozers. I woke up at about 4:30 this morning and was picked up by my cousin Trish and head down to Kahana. Sam stayed home with the girls. My family had their cars parked right in front of the driveway, including 2 old limosines, which completely blocked out anyone or thing that might try and enter. My bestfriend Liz Buckingham met us there too and I felt so happy to have family and friends to stand with (including my awesome friends on the mainland, Becca & Red who were standing there with me in spirit!).

I was asked to speak on camera for one of the many TV stations there and since I was chicken, I had Liz and Trish to stand with me, as I did all the talking (not by choice). The news reporter asked me about what is was like growing up in Kahana and what emotions I was feeling. I told him of the many days and nights spent on the beach and crabbing in the river. I shared that I felt sad, but also hopeful that the right people would make the right decision for our families.

Somewhere between 8:30-9:30am Representative Collen Meyer came to address us. She informed us that after speaking with Laura Thielen (DLNR Chairperson) and voicing our concerns, as well as hers, that they should have spoken to the people first, instead of just pushing papers at them and creating 6 homeless families, especially in light of our state's current homeless problem, that the DLNR would be holding a meeting with the residents and lessees. VICTORY...for today!!

Tonight this meeting will be held in Kahana and I want to send my aloha and thanks to our Senator Clayton Hee & Rep. Collen Meyer for taking up our cause and bringing the necessary people to the table! Big mahalos also to all the people who came to support us from all over the island and even the outer islands, and to those even just blowing their horns as they pass us on the road! I am also grateful to live in a nation where we can demonstrate peacefully and voice our concern. This whole experience has really opened my eyes to the power of information and education. It also feels really good to stand up for something you believe in and see positive results...

EVICTION

2008-10-22T19:05:00.007-10:00

As some of you may have seen on the news, there are 6 families in Kahana Valley who are being forcefully evicted, one of which is my own immediate family (mom, dad & two brothers). The injustice of the whole situation is heartbreaking and infuriating! My mom has been in regular correspondence with one of the main guys of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) for nearly 4 years now with the plan that my family would be getting a lot to build a new home for themselves on. (post-edited, misinformed) Three times efforts were made with legislation which would allow DLNR to grant us a lot, but still to no avail. The house plans were drawn and she even had a contractor ready and waiting. For years she has jumped through the necessary "hoops" to move us to an available lot (which there ARE, with all the necessary infrastructure in place). Yet today my parents were served with an eviction notice and the news today that bull dozers would be coming to knock down the home that has served my family for 5 generations come 6:00, Monday morning.

I am both in shock and horror at how something like this could happen and which would ultimately result in making 6 families HOMELESS!! From a legal stand point, we have no case because the Attorney General has re-interpreted the law that gave leases for Kahana families to read that no new leases can be given, thus forcing the eviction of these 6 families!

We the families and friends of Kahana are seeking the help our fellow community members, families and friends to help STOP this! How can you help? We invite you to come stand with us as we hold signs to let everyone know of this injustice. We will be holding signs every evening from 4-6 pm in Kahana Bay. Also, please call your legislators and let them know that you are against the eviction of these men, women & keiki! All we need is just a few more months, and come January, we can pass the necessary legislation that would prevent any of these families from losing their homes! We honestly can't understand why the state is in such a rush to demolish people's homes and simply create more "park". We would greatly appreciate your kokua and your prayers!

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-19T14:38:00.002-10:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Yesterday we got invited to go to the Pumpkin Patch at Aloun Farms with the Caseys & Moncurs. We had a great time exploring the pumpkin patch, taking Elia to their little petting zoo and going for a bumpy hay ride! The girls both got a little tired and fussy, but it was fun anyways! Afterwards, we all had lunch at Wendy's...after I gave everyone a mini-tour of Kunia because I missed a turn ;) All in all, it was a very full and exciting day...I'm still pooped!

I read it, so I'm IT!

2008-09-30T12:18:00.005-10:00

Here you go Crystal:
1. Where did you meet your husband? Seminary in the 9th grade, but we didn't date until he came home from his mission :)

2. How long did you date before you married? 9 months

3. How long have you been married? 5 years

4. What does he do that surprises you? Cleans the house WITHOUT me asking ;)

5. What is his favorite feature? I don't know...

6. What is your favorite quality of his? His corny sense of humor and integrity

7. Does he have a nickname for you? "Babe" or "Teh"

8. What is his favorite food? Milk & Cereal (he eats it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and as a snack)

9. What is his favorite sport? Surfing, if anything...he's not really into sports

10. When & where was your first kiss? One night after we sold T-shirts at a football game together on Hukilau beach

11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? Just be together without distractions:)

12. Do you have any children? Yes, 2 beautiful daughters!

13. Does he have any hidden talents? He is a very good artist and photographer

14. How old is he? 27

15. Who said I love you first? He did and it totally caught me by surprise ;)

16. What is his favorite music? Old kine Hawaiian music and anything with harmonious instruments

17. What do you admire most about him? He is SO talented and good with his hands. He can do carpentry, electrical and plumbing work, he's a musician, great photographer, skilled on the computer and he's a purist...believes in doing things the right way, no short cuts!

18. What is his favorite color? He doesn't really have one...

19. Will he read this? Maybe

20. Who do you tag? If you read this then TAG you're it!

SHE-RA

2008-09-24T07:53:00.003-10:00

Mika is such a strong little girl! She's always arching her back and lifting her head! And when we put her on her tummy, she stretches out her little legs and tries to push herself forward. Needless to say, our new little one is doing very good :) Eating lots, sleeping lots and giving us lots to smile about!

Twinkle, Twinkle

2008-09-21T11:26:00.002-10:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

On the last page of this "scrapbook" there is a video clip of Elia singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" to Mika. It was too cute! I loved the part where Elia asks, "Is she smiling?" It's moments like these that just melt me...

Two Weeks Old!

2008-09-16T10:50:00.003-10:00

Yesterday, Mika made 2 weeks old! We spent the day at home, as usual (I don't leave the house with my newborns for at least 1 month) and had a nice visit with Naomi Asay & Malcolm and the Cifuentes Ohana...Isabel, Santiago & Esteban. It was really hot inside so eating vanilla ice cream with frozen strawberries was an excellent treat!

In other news, I am have decided to try CLOTH! Yup, it will save us a lot of money, and I honestly don't mind doing laundry, so it's a win-win situation (thanks Naomi for all the info). My husband hasn't fully bought into the idea yet...although I don't know why since he is so earth minded and he won't be the one doing the laundry, most of the time. My friend who also uses cloth diaper offered to make them for me, since she has done the same for her little girl and all I have to do is buy the materials (Mahalo Becca!), which will save me a ton of money (buying cloth diapers can cost up to $20 a piece)! I've already gone on line and ordered most of the materials I need for about $25 (and this includes $10 shipping). I have 2 more things to buy that shouldn't run me more than $15. My friend thinks this will be enough to make me around 7-10 diapers. I'm excited to try them out and I'll post more info. on how it goes!

Turbo JAM!

2008-09-09T09:28:00.002-10:00

Today I finally began exercising again. Turbo Jam with Chalene Johnson is my absolute favorite! It has great music to keep you motivated and I love all the punching and kicking...good stress reliever too! I'm starting back slow, just doing the 20 minute routine, but boy did it feel GOOD! I bought this workout DVD about over 2 years ago and it really works! When I first got it I did the 10 day jump start program (including the eating plan) and lost about 4 pounds...just in time to fit into my bridesmaid's dress for my friend's wedding little more nicely. After that I kept those 4 pounds off for about a year without exercising regularly (which I should have done), so it just goes to show how much muscle you build doing this exercise. I think Chalene's even coming out with something new called "Chalean" or something like that. Anyways, just thought I'd share for all you mommies out there who can't go to the gym or even leave the house to jog for some reason or another (like having no sidewalk to run on). If you try it or have tried it I'd love to hear what ya think!

One Week Old!

2008-09-08T07:20:00.007-10:00

Today Mika is one week old! The days have gone by quickly, yet I feel as though she's been with me always ;) She is eating and sleeping well and I feel so lucky that she sleeps pretty good during the night. I only have to wake up with her twice before I'm ready to wake up myself (I'm a morning person for sure) and every morning she gets very smiley...she must be a morning person like her mommy! Most people will say that newborns don't really smile, it's just gas, but I think Mika is an exception. She smiles A LOT, even when I don't hear or smell anything else! She usually smiles while her eyes are shut, so maybe she has really sweet dreams. In any case, she is a very good baby...she rarely cries and when she does, it takes her a while to actually do it. She is a squirmy girl, and loves to arch her back and kick her feet. She also loves to try and grab her bottle, especially when she's really hungry...which makes it a little hard for mommy to get her bib settled and the bottle in her mouth. She has successfully put both hands around her bottle a couple of times.

Elia is also doing very good too! She loves being around her baby sister, which is making things a little difficult right now because Elia has a cough and I have to keep her away from the baby and my Lysol spray near by. There has been a couple of incidents of "jealousy", but Sam and I are trying hard to not let her feel left out. I've been VERY happy that Elia hasn't regressed with her potty training...she still wears pull-ups at night, but for the rest of the day she's in her big girl panties. I"m so happy that I started early so that now I only have to buy diapers for one!

Motherhood is AWESOME, challenging...but definitely rewarding! I love having 2 little girls in my home and being surrounded by all the pink and pretty things. I'll be home on family leave for the next 4 weeks and I plan to make the most of every precious moment!

This is Elia at one week old

Mika's Slideshow

2008-09-04T09:33:00.000-10:00

Mika Emi Hi'ileinani Cheney

2008-09-04T09:04:00.003-10:00

We have finally brought our precious new little girl home! We survived our first night and found that she truly is a GOOD baby :) The funniest thing is that we all woke up at 7:30 am, all four of us. Elia was the first, and the first thing she asked when I went to get her out of her crib was "Where's Mika?" Elia is going to be a great big sister! Right now, we are all is a very bissful state...feeling sooo very blessed and beyond happy!

Here is a little about her name...

Mika (Hebrew, meaning Gift from God)

Emi (Japanese, meaning Blessed with beauty)

Hi'ilei (Hawaiian, meaning to carry and tend a beloved child)

Nani (Hawaiian, meaning pretty- part of Lethe's middle name)

Labor Day Baby!

2008-09-01T18:19:00.002-10:00

I just got the call that our little angel has been born and is now present here on earth! She is 5 pounds, 8 ounces and 18 inches long! She was born at 3:20 pm and we couldn't be more ECSTATIC! Hopefully tomorrow we will get to visit her at the hospital and take some photos to post and share :) How truly grateful and blessed we feel!

In anticipation!

2008-09-01T16:05:00.003-10:00

We got the call at 10:59 pm while we were doing some last minute shopping at Pearlridge Mall, that the birthmother's water had broken at 12:00am and she was in labor this very minute! Now we are just sitting (and of course making sure all the little details of packing and cleaning and preparing are done) and waiting to hear a status update! Words can't express how we are feeling right now, one can only imagine! This time around we will be able to visit our daughter in the hospital and take her home from there once she is released! Our prayers are with the birthmother and little Mika.... we love you guys!

My Review of Sit 'n Stand Elite Double Stroller

2008-08-23T06:36:00.001-10:00

Originally submitted at One Step Ahead

The double stroller offers extra grow-with-me value: it's a conventional tandem stroller that converts to a Sit 'n Stand when your child is ready.

LOVE IT!

By Hawaiian Mommy from Punalu'u, HI on 8/23/2008

Pros: Comfortable, Lightweight, Easily Stowed, Easy to Set Up, Durable, Smooth Ride

Cons: Hard To Maneuver

Best Uses: Infants, Toddlers

Describe Yourself: Parent of Two or More Children

I bought this stroller as I'm expecting my second childin a few weeks. My older daughter is 2.4 months old and I wanted to find a stroller that could accommodate both her and the new baby. I was going to buy a Joovey Sit n' Stand, but then realized that my 2 year old still falls asleep sometimes and I would be stuck with no place to have her recline and continue to sleep, which helps mommy out ALOT!

When my stroller arrived I was super excited and still am! First off, I live in Hawaii and this awesome company shipped this stroller to me for only $22!!!! That is truly amazing, since I priced shipped from Walmart at $65! AND it came in about 6 business days!!

I love how intuitive this stroller is as you are assembling it. I didn't even have to look at the manual to figure out how to add the canopies, foot rest, or adjust things. My husband just popped the wheels on and we were ready to go! The stroller is very well made, folds up pretty compactly considering it is a double stroller (my GRACO stroller is about the SAME size as this), and it is light, in my opinion. I also love how the stroller is quite narrow, but spacious enough for my 2 year old (I do have to fold the back footrest back). Not to mention that this stroller is VERY attractive! I love it, love it, love it!

My daughter loves it too!

Tags: Using Product

We love the versatillity

Tags: Using Product

(legalese)

The Sweetest Words...

2008-08-17T11:03:00.002-10:00

A few days ago, I was sitting on the couch with Elia, I had just come home from work, and she grabbed my hand and started kissing it. Then she said "I miss you mommy", then she kissed it again and said, "I love you". It was the first time she said "I love you" instead of "I love you too", after I say it. I was very surprised and touched! Those are definitely the sweetest words for a mommy to hear! I was reminded of this experience while sitting in McDonald's yesterday. A boy sitting next to me was having a conversation with his mom and after pausing for a moment he said , "I love you mom". It was really sweet! So, the moral of this story is... make someone's day and tell them that you love them ;)

Preparing for Baby

2008-08-08T07:14:00.003-10:00

Now that shock and surprise of the baby news is settling in, and my feet are mostly on the ground, I've started thinking about all the stuff I need to do and get (buy baby detergent and wash the new/old clothes, get a dresser, buy new bottles-the ones we used with Elia had too many parts!, etc., etc. For some strange reason I've become obsessed with searching for the perfect stroller to accommodate my girls and their unique needs. At first I was sure I wanted to get a Joovy Caboose so that I could attach the car seat in front and Elia could just hop on (and off mostly) the back. It looks cool and it's light and folds up pretty compactly. But THEN I thought of the fact that Elia often falls asleep during car rides, and if that happens, she won't have any place to recline and continue sleeping so that mommy can do what she needs to do with a little less commotion! After I talked to Sam about my dilemma he kind of just threw his hands up in the air and said "Let's just get a wheel barrow, it's robust...and construction site approved!" I had to laugh out loud ;) That's what you get when you ask a man!

P.S. Now I have my eyes on a Baby Trend Sit and Stand Plus/Elite (the sit part in the back comes with a full seat that can recline and then be removed when your baby is ready to just sit). Now if I can just find this thing on our little rock or get someplace to ship to me for a reasonable price, I'll be all set! I'm going to USA Baby today with my friend so we'll what we find...

"Top 3" Tag (for Liko)

2008-08-07T16:49:00.005-10:00

How To Play This Game of Tag:

Post these rules on your blog. List: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog!

JOYS

1- Family field trips

2- Date night

3- Having a clean and organized house!

FEARS

1- Heights

2- The dark

3- Sleeping in new places and hearing strange noises (I can never get to sleep!)

GOALS

1- Own a home on the Windward side built and designed by my husband & I!

2- Have my own preschool someday :)

3- Sam & I be financially independent before we are 40

CURRENT OBSESSIONS/COLLECTIONS

1- Finding the right stroller for my 2 girls!

2- Getting things prepared for our baby girl.

3- My new baby girl!

FACTS ABOUT ME

1- When I was about 4 or 5 I swallowed a quarter.

2- I just STOPPED biting my nails after a 20+ year habit! How did I stop? I got my last and final wisdom tooth extracted, it got infected and my mouth was swollen for about 2 weeks so I really couldn't, even if I wanted to! That's all it took...

3- I am a BIG Prince fan (not all his stuff of course). If you hang out with me long enough, I'll convert you ;) I've done it to my husband and bestfriend Liz!

I tag: Carol, Crystal, Kristyn, Eden, and Heather

WOW!!! Have you heard?!

2008-07-30T22:07:00.004-10:00

Sam and I will be welcoming our second baby girl! She is due to be born on September 9 and we are just ECSTATIC!!! We feel so blessed and full of gratitude to our Heavenly Father! This time we have 5 weeks to prepare, instead of 3 weeks like we had for Elia! Now we need to think of a name...

Ala Moana

2008-07-27T16:12:00.009-10:00

Elia poses by the water.

Sam and Elia look at the fishies

Ohana shot!

This Saturday we had grand plans to go to the annual Farm Fair, which was held at Bishop Museum this year. But, after going there and circling around the neighborhood several times, along with 50 other cars, we decided to opt for plan B...which took us to Walmart for the second time this week in our quest to get a breadmaker. In the Cheney house we can go through one loaf of store bought bread a day, so we though this might be a good investment :) Unfortunately, our search continues because this store was also out! I guess we'll have to go the internet route. Anyways, since we had packed a luch we decided to head for the nearest park, which happened to be Ala Moana Beach Park. There we almost thought we we're going to have the same parking issues, but picked up a spot right next to the water with some benches perfect for sitting and eating our sandwiches. It was a beautiful view of the ocean, with a breeze, and helped me reaffirm my desire for a boat someday.

Fun in the SUN!

2008-07-20T16:51:00.005-10:00

Elia and daddy building her sand pool. See the Iosepa in the background?

This past Saturday the three of us went to Hukilau beach, which I haven't been to since I was in college! It was a beautiful, picturesque day with tons of people there to enjoy the sun and waves. Since it was a bit rough, Sam built Elia her own little pool with protective sand wall for her swimming enjoyment :) Sam also got to do some body surfing. As an added bonus, we met up with some friends who were there celebrating a birthday with ono food and cake! We then got to work off some of that by playing volleyball. What more could you ask for on a Saturday?

Daddy catches a nice one!

Simple Pleasures

2008-07-11T17:09:00.005-10:00

One of my favorite artists once said, "They say that money won't buy you happiness...but it'll pay for the search!" Well, this has come into fruition in a simple and happy way this week for me in the form of a bench. Yes, to beat the heat of the indoors we bought a fairly inexpensive bench from Walmart to put on our deck. It's white and pretty much indestructible by our salt air since it is all plastic/vinyl. But it isn't just a bench... it also conveniently turns into a picnic table by simply pushing the backrest forward. Okay, so I'm not writing this to brag about my new purchase, instead, I was just reflecting on how simple and little things can bring us happiness. Since getting this bench, Elia and I have been able to comfortably enjoy the scenery and sounds outside, sponge paint without fear of making a mess, have dinner with a friend with all of us actually sitting around one table (we have only a counter/island inside) and when someone wanted to stop by I could offer them a cool spot to sit and relax at outside without worrying about how clean my house was inside! Ahhhh...the little things, how they DO make a difference! What are some of your simple pleasures?

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-06T11:58:00.011-10:00

This 4th of July was a fun and exciting one for the Cheney ohana! We had an onolicious potluck bar-b-que with friends in Kahana Bay, complete with Liz's famous marinated bar-b-que chicken!! Then we all headed over to the beach to enjoy the cool breeze and work off all that food we ate... It was a perfect day and the water was warm :) The kids got all nice and sandy and us big guys got to talk story and body surf.

Then later that night after Sam finished playing at the luau, we headed over to Schofield Barracks to watch their awesome firework show. Liz was designated the driver, which was really sweet for Sam and I because we both would rather not! So, for a change we both got to be passengers in our car... which gave us a perfect photo-op of Sam & I :) The drive was kinda long (by Hawaii & gas price standards), but definitely worth it. We got there just in time to get situated, get some grinds and sit down for a few minutes before the show started...and what a show it was! Sam got some cool photos of some of what we saw. Elia was both amazed and scared at the sights and sounds and clung tight to mommy and daddy. It was a beautiful night! We'd love to hear about your 4th of July too... add a comment ;)

5 Happy Years!

2008-07-02T07:30:00.003-10:00

This past friday, June 27, Sam and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary! To celebrate the special occasion we attended a temple session, bright and early in the morning, then later went to the movies and had dinner at one of our favorite Italian resturants...Zias's! It was a great day, although we did have some mishaps with our babysitters :)

The celebration continued the next day as we spent the day with Elia and watched Wall-e. She sat through most of it, with the exception of the 2 times she asked to go to the bathroom! Mommy was very happy to take her though, when she did actually go both times! Then after the movie Elia had her nap in the stroller as mommy and daddy went to get haircuts and have lunch. It was a great day!

Being married for these past 5 years has been the happiest time of my life! Sometimes you feel like it was just yesterday that you were dating...but at the same time it feels like this person has always been with you. How grateful I am for Sam, who is such a loving husband and daddy! I look forward to spending the next 5 x infinity years with him!

Mommy & Me!

2008-07-01T07:30:00.007-10:00

Being a teacher definitely has it's perks...and summer break is my favorite one! These past 3 weeks I've fallen in love again with sleeping in, exercising in the morning and spending the whole day with my favorite girl! Since we could skip paying preschool tuition, I got to splurge a little on buying some fun art supplies for some projects I planned to do with the little one (watercolors, crayons, markers, construction paper, foam sheets, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, etc.). Elia loves to scribble and go crazy with the glue, but then loves to take her projects apart too :) We also go on "color hunts" together, as she has become fascinated with the color blue and red too. But probably the most fun we have together is when we get to be silly together while singing and dancing to her favorite songs "Calypso Jump" and "Slippery Fish". Yes, it is such a JOY to be a mommy

We've also kept ourselves busy by going on a field trip every week with the other mother's in our Ward. So far we've gone to Alligator Pond (Elia had lots of fun jumping over the waves), the Children's Discovery Center (a whole building dedicated to for play and pretend, where everything is touchable) and the Polynesian Cultural Center (she got scared of the loud Tongan drums, but loved running around and watching the canoe show). My only regret is that I didn't have my camera with me during any of these trips because Sam needed it for work! So...I'll have to ask my friends to email me some pictures they took.

Have a fun and safe 4th of July everyone!

Thanks Luz for sending me these photos! Elia and her best buddy/neighbor Kayla plant carrots and ride in the Jeepney together at the Children's Discovery Center.

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T15:22:00.004-10:00

Today is the day to pay tribute to all the AWESOME men in our lives, fathers and fathers-to-be, so from the Cheney Ohana we send a "Happy Father's Day!" to you, with lots of aloha! Here's a poem I found that sums it up nicely:

What Makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,

He called it ... Dad

~~Author Unknown.~~

Elia's May Day 2008

2008-06-08T16:21:00.005-10:00

Here's Elia in action! They actually did 2 songs, but mommy recorded too much light in the background and it came out really dark. Daddy,Grandma Lena, Uncle Dez, and Aunty Lauren came to watch and we all thought they were soo cute!!

Fun Weekend

2008-05-28T16:21:00.004-10:00

The weekend is over, and it was a long one! 3 days off may not be long for some, but 3 days of camping sure can be tiring. This is Sam by-the-way. We camped in Lethe's Parent's lot, in Kahana bay (there were no available permits elsewhere). We enjoyed days at the beach, as well as nights on the shore around a bonfire. I got some nice shots of fire, food and scenery. Oh, and I got some pics of actual people too! Amy and Andy Shinsel joined us on the camp. Too bad they just left today for Oregon... why why why?

Elia's fieldtrip to the Bishop Museum

2008-05-23T12:11:00.003-10:00

Yesterday Elia and Grandma Lena went on Elia's very first fieldtrip to the Bishop Museum to see their magnificent whale exhibit! Elia and her classmates at Rainbow Preschool were in awe (and afraid) of the huge creatures they saw! Grandma Lena and Elia had a blast together and at the end of the trip Grandma was ready for a nap. Elia says "Thank you Grandma" for sharing this awesome experience with her! Next week Thrusday Elia will give her first May Day performance...mommy and daddy are so excited!

Terrific Twos!

2008-05-18T13:40:00.000-10:00

On April 10, 2008 Elia made 2 years old! Boy, how time does fly! To celebrate, we had a "Nemo" themed party (she loves "Nemo", he now out ranks Elmo) with lots of food, water play and bouncing fun! Check out Elia devouring her birthday cake....it was ono-licious! Much aloha to all the people who helped put it together and came to celebrate with us. Elia's cousin Emma Cheney from Spanish Fork Utah was even here! It was surely a birthday to remember ;)

We've joined the blog-wagon!

2008-05-18T13:11:00.000-10:00

Aloha Everyone!

Yes, we've decided to jump on board the blog-wagon and start one of these cool things for our family. Mahalo to our friends Becca & Red for showing us it could be done :) Hopefully we'll stay steady with adding photos and blurbs on how the Cheneys are doing out here in beautiful Hawai'i. This coming Thursday Elia will be going on her first field trip to Bishop Museum with her preschool. Grandma Lena is going to go along too, so we'll be sure to add some of the photos she takes of Elia on her big trip :)

Thanks again for checking us out! A hui hou...