Here we go again

SUPER MIA! The toddler, the legend...TO THE RESCUE!

And introducing Kainoa Bear as Mr. T., fool! The baby, the sidekick, THE MUSCLE!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2011!!!

Turning the BIG 3-7

Dave turned 37 last month, and birthdays are a real big deal around here. Of course it started out with the traditional breakfast in bed...although I think Dave's birthday wish here (note the expression on his face) was to have breakfast in bed about 3 hours later than we did.

We had a great day spent together, and ended it with a big birthday cake and candles. I think Dave wished for his usual $1 million dollars, blew out the candles, and we chowed down.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Lately...

Kids getting to work "swabbing the deck"

Rides on Daddy's shoulders

Enjoying Asian grapefruit sent from Banoi in Arizona

Bike rides and THE BIG BLUE HORN! with Daddy

Wearing extra special dresses (this one from Vietnam from Banoi) to Church

And getting ready for Halloween of course!

Kai Bear is ONE!!!

That happened fast! Our handsome little angel officially turned one, and we've loved everyday with him since the moment he entered our lives. So far, we have tons of ways to love him, and he has brought an infinite amount of love into our family.

First of all...he is ALL BOY. In every way. From banging on any and everything, to making messes out of everything he can, being a dare-devil (that one makes us crazy!!!), helping Daddy with very manly tasks (even playing the guitar), [and being super cute] he has changed the princess dynamic in our home...all for the better!

He loves his sister, Mimi. They share a beautiful friendship, and honestly I think we have the makings of partners-in-crime...and that sounds great to me! Kainoa loves, admires, ADORES Mia. He is always the first in the house to wake up whether its in the morning or from nap time, and he can not function without Mia. He only lasts for a few minutes before he bee-lines it to Mia's bedroom door, pounds on it until it opens, then he'll go over and pound on her bed and scream to wake her up. They are awesome buddies that love to spend time together, take care of each other, and kiss each other.

Kainoa is a trooper when it comes to traveling. In only one year of life, he has lived in San Antonio, Texas; St. Kitts, West Indies; and Carbondale, Illinois. He's pretty much rolled with our crazy med-school plans and is a super happy travel buddy.

Kainoa is our super chubby lover baby. [Check out those cheeks in the above picture for cryin' out loud]. I always wanted a chubby baby...always! Kainoa's chubs have provided hours of more adoring, squeezing, snuggling, and joy!

Kainoa LOVES to be outside! Any time a door opens...and shuts...he expects to be outside! If that doesn't happen, it is a guaranteed disappointed cry-fest. Whether it's playing in his pool, pushing toys in the driveway, or scaring Mommy and Daddy by playing by the drain ditch, he loves to be outside!

Did I mention he is the perfect cuddler? He is so snuggly, always has been...and still continues to be even though he is very mobile. He LOVES his Mommy and Daddy...loves to be held, loves to be snuggled. It's pretty awesome, and we don't mind one bit!

Kainoa...you have brought an unimaginable increase of love, fun, laughter, and admiration to our home. Who would have thought it was possible? We love you more than words can say...more than actions can express. You are our little boy...our son that we adore. Thank you for being our little angel baby, so easy, so fun, so loving and lovable. Our family is even more wonderful now that you are in it!

365 Filharts

I started a new blog. I know. I already have problems keeping this one updated...however I had an idea on one of my morning walks this week...I want a simple, picture journal of daily memories from our family each year. I'm sure I'm not the first to think of this, but I'm hoping I can be committed to it because I think the results would be something we'd really treasure. It is sort of derived from my friend Abby's idea last year of "a picture a day." I want to keep these posts separate because the idea is that at the end of each year I will turn our 365 Filharts blog into a book of its own (i.e. "365 Filharts 2011," "365 Filharts 2012," etc.). I am sort of sad that I didn't keep better records of our experiences on the island because we had sooo many adventures and unique things happen that I know I've already forgotten!

I've linked it on the sidebar if any family or friends want to follow along and see little snippets of our life each day!

Filhart Family Reunion

...in July. Yes, I am a mere two months late in posting this...but oh well. There are a multitude of reasons why we are grateful to be back in the U.S., and one of them is seeing family...and them coming to see US!!!!

Dave's parents, brother and sis-in-law [and kids of course!] came all the way to see us for a sweltering visit in July. It was so hot and humid outside you seriously could melt. It's not like they aren't used to it being H-O-T in Arizona, but I think the idea of getting out of Arizona in the summer is to escape the heat. That unfortunately didn't happen with this trip!

The visit was HOT (did I mention that?)...but full of lots of family bonding, lots of cousin time, and any attempts we could make to create memories, eat good food, and have fun! Of course all of those were accomplished complete with night fishing, homemade ice cream sandwiches, and lots of running around and laughing (kids of course). It was a great visit! Repeat next summer??!!??

Becky's Art Work!!

Becky is too modest to post these, but I LOVE THEM...she painted them for our kids' room.  The "Monkey" is my favorite!

You are sooo talented baby! 

Thank you so much for making our home heaven on earth.

I love you, Becky.  I love you.

-Dave

Carbondale, IL - 2011

Nothing Like a Trip to Nauvoo

(Check out those toes...)

This picture cracks me up every time I look at it. Yes, 'tis true, we are poor students. Holes in the socks...EVERY pair we own. Of course, we got some new ones, but those are now getting holes in them too. We can not figure out how in the world this is happening. Must be another twilight zone medical school occurrance, or something.

So in June, my parents + two of my sisters + 3 of my nephews came up to these parts to see some Church history points of interest. My parents thought it would be a nice idea to take the next 3 grandsons that are preparing for missions to see some very important places that shaped the beginning of the church. I thought it was awesome that we live close by...and that they swung by to let me and the kids tag along for a little bit of it!

(Nauvoo Temple at Dusk)

We ended up staying right across the street from the temple, which was perfect for sitting out on the balcony at night looking at the illuminated temple listening to my mom tell us stories about early church history. This was the first time I'd been to Nauvoo as an adult (and since the temple has been rebuilt), so it was a very meaningful trip for me!

(Mimi's favorite part=the HORSE RIDE!)

There isn't a ton to do in Nauvoo for little-little ones...and the 110 degree humid heat didn't help with trying to coerce them into believing that everything we were doing was for little-little ones. Luckily she was in heaven on the horse-drawn tour of Old Nauvoo!

(Kainoa, Papa, and Nana liked it too)

(The grandsons practicing stilt-walking)

(Mia working at mastering a game at the pioneer games station)

(After lots of prodding and FORCE, here is Mia in a make-shift Pioneer outfit)

(The FOUR grandsons on the trip! Don't be scared, Bear!!!)

(The fam (minus Janet taking the picture) outside our hotel)

Great way to spend a few days of the summer, and I even got to get away from the cares of our "holey-sock" student life!

You talk to Daddy...I'll talk to Bear

The weather here in the last week has been awesome. Amazing. Totally redeeming, considering we lived in a sauna of 110 degree weather for the last two months. The extreme heat welcomed both of our families visiting throughout the summer with nothing to do but sit in our teeny house looking at each other because it was too hot outside to even step out the door.

Last night we went for a walk around the lake/golf course to take advantage of Illinois' sudden change of weather-heart, then decided to enjoy more of the weather by taking a drive to a near by lake with the windows DOWN [in August!]. gasp.

Dave and I were trying to have a lovely conversation...but kept finding ourselves being constantly interrupted by Mia. I finally told her that I was talking to Daddy and to patiently wait while we finish our conversation. She replied by ordering me to "talk to Daddy and I'll talk to Bear" [a.k.a. Kainoa]. She then turns to Kainoa and says, "Hi Bear!" Then a milli-second later she interrupts/says..."Mommy? Isn't Kainoa Bear sooooo cute?!"

So much for having a fluent conversation with an adult ever again for me. Good thing she's just as cute herself. Here are a few of her latest and greatest...

Made herself sick all day (fever included) from playing too hard when her cousins came to visit...

Playing with sidewalk chalk in the pool = turning into "paint" = getting it all over herself (without realizing it)...only to know what she looked like after she looked at the pics I was taking...

Modeling Daddy's hair-styling skills for me after bath time...

Staying true to her one-and-only love...CHOCOLATE!!!!

Life gets better and better, doesn't it? (Especially with fuzzy purple slippers, man.)

It's an Illinois Thing

Since moving to Southern Illinois, we've been a different kind of busy. Not busy like we were on the island, where Dave was at school most of the day, studying most of the night, and I was running around the island trying to find decent food, stay safe, and avoid running over a donkey in the road...or a monkey...or a goat for that matter.

Now, busy-ness is Dave prepping for his big-ole' board exam in the fall while we (mostly the kids and I...and the rare occasion Dave included when we successfully steal him away from his love affair with medical books) explore this new habitat we've found ourselves in...another place that we're living that we only ever heard of once we've moved here...Southern Illinois.

Southern Illinois is a strange place...surprisingly much like the island (in a "twilight-zone" kind of way at times), yet with added bonuses like Walmart less than a mile away, and the most awesome local produce from the neighboring farming communities. It is an interesting place with lots of varying/opinionated/vocalized political views, small-town ideals and traditions, and plenty of unique sights waiting to be visited. I guess we are figuring out that our gypsy-medical school existence equates to being stuck in a vortex of sorts while we bounce from place to place on our journey. We are quickly realizing that just because we are back in the U.S., our lives will still not be any kind of "normal" until we are settled for good in _ _ years. Maybe.

On this occasion, we headed out to Cobden (about 30 minutes from us) to see a Bison round-up. Another experience I've never heard of in a town I didn't know existed. We joined the other 20 people that attended to watch the cattlemen round up hundreds of Bison all morning to administer vaccinations. It was a strange, yet interesting experience. Not sure if it's "bucket-list worthy," but it was a nice...free way to get out of the house and spend some time together.