family pictures 2015

So it's been forever since I've updated this blog. Life has been busy busy busy lately! Earlier this year I received my certification to teach spin classes which is awesome! I'll hopefully be able to start at the gym here soon. The girls were out for the summer and it was a crazy one! I flew out at the end of May for my sister's wedding, then my friend Mary's wedding, then picked up the girls and brought them home to Guam. We were able to take family pictures again this year and here there are!

christmas visit pics

I didn't get to take as many photos on our trip as I wanted. I barely got my real camera out with the exception of a couple photoshoots with friends. Anyways, this post is basically a photo dump from our trip. Enjoy!

george and I right after landing in california. we were very tired...

kiera passed out in the car after we first got her

meli being goofy

kiera passed out again... right before she puked everywhere

kiera cuddles <3 i="">

christmas morning

cuddles with jamie's dog, molly

sunset in oregon house

meli

auntie ardry

kiera finally getting to bounce at the galleria

kiera

meli

the engleheart ladies on our way to six flags

kiera, freezing, at six flags

awwww

meli is sad she's too short for the ride

we fixed it! now she can ride!

kiera is waaaaay too short

george and I on the couch, ringing in the new year

roasting marshmallows

roasting marshmallows with daddy

date night with our bff, casey

they both love their bun buns!

a very engleheart christmas

This year was our year to have the girls for Christmas. Instead of having them travel all the way out here for just 2 weeks, George and I decided to travel to California to spend the holidays with them. Not only is the travel a lot for the kids, it's always crazy expensive to bring them out. We left Guam a few days before Christmas and just got back home last night. We stayed at my mom and dad's house to save money on a hotel and the girls had their own room, and so did we. It was a whirlwind 2 weeks! Both girls were sick, then we got sick too! We also had to fit it time with all our family and friends. We already miss the girls like crazy, but are so so happy to be home. 

We spent Christmas morning with my parents opening stockings, presents and eating the infamous Christmas breakfast my dad cooks every year. We then headed up to George's mom and step-dad's house to open more gifts and have Christmas dinner. The girls got clothes, toys and lots of fun science-y type kits/toys. George and I got donations for our paddle board fund! 

The rest of the trip was spent hanging out with the girls and a few friends. I did some photography sessions, George got to snowboard with his Bay Area friends, we took the girls to Six Flags with George's sister, Ardry, to celebrate her birthday. We did a family date night in Old Sacramento on the 3rd anniversary of mine and George's first date at the same restaurant we went to! The girls thought it was so cool that we went to the same place as a family. We took another family date to the movies and saw Into the Woods which was pretty good! New Years Eve was spent with my friends, where we let all the kids run around while us adults caught up. No one made it til midnight of course, but it was a fun night.

There were lots of other fun things we did, but in the fog of jet lag, I can't remember every detail! We had such a fun time with the girls and can't wait to bring them to Guam again this summer!

california visit p.1 - the tooth fairy

During my visit to California, one of my favorite things was getting to spend so much time with my stepdaughter, Kiera. I had her a good portion of my time there. Living so far away from the girls, we miss out on a lot of milestones and firsts. Sure, we can FaceTime and they can tell us about them, but its not the same as being there when they experience something for themselves. I was lucky enough to have Kiera the night she lost her first tooth!

"send my dad a picture of my loose tooth!"

The night started out with her showing me her loose tooth. It was been loose a while, but of course, I took a picture so we could show her dad. She was so excited about it, she kept saying it's looser than before! After dinner Kiera, my sister, her friend and I went for a walk. Kiera asked to chew gum and kept saying how the gum was making her tooth hurt. 

no more tooth!

When we got back home Kiera asked to see my handheld mirror and went and stationed herself at the kitchen table. She starting looking at the tooth in the mirror and kept making these little screaming noises every time it moved. I didn't know what she was doing at that point, it looked like she was just examining the tooth in the mirror. About 10 minutes later Kiera starts yelling for me to come here, her mouth all bloody. I started to put my hand to her mouth to look, and she spits a tooth out! Sure as shit, that kid wiggled that tooth until she could pull it out! Who does that at 5 years old? Crazy kid!! 

The rest of the night we were all squealing and giddy about this huge event that just took place. I had no idea how exciting losing a tooth could be! Kiera kept asking if I was proud of her, and of course I told her I was super proud (which I was!). She also kept saying "I'm so full of joy and happiness right now!!" This kid, I swear! 

from the tooth fairy

Of course with a lost tooth comes the tooth fairy. It had to be super special because it was her first lost tooth. The next morning Kiera woke me up with a whisper at 6:30 am and begged me to read the certificate the tooth fairy left her. 

First Lost Tooth

This is to certify that Miss Kiera Engleheart

has lost her first tooth on Saturday, August 30, 2014

I am so very proud to add your tooth

to my collection. Congratulations!

//signed// The Tooth Fairy

Not only did the tooth fairy leave her a certificate, but she also left her $5! Back in my day, I usually got $1 in dimes and nickels. I guess the tooth fairy has adjusted her payment schedule! It was so exciting to get to experience this first with Kiera. Out of all the things I did during my visit, it was one of my favorites!