"I love technology!" ... and I miss it so much

Dearest Erika (my new neighbor),


Thank you for allowing me to use your internet for the moment! I just want to let you all know that we moved! It's been smooth! I've got a couple boxes left for my book shelf, but other than that we are IN! Loving it! We went to our new ward today and everyone has been very nice. They have been quick to welcome us! Pictures from our new place, Jocelyn's 2nd birthday and so on! Sorry, hopefully we will get HOOKED UP this week! :>

I'm just singing Kip's song, "I love technology! It is so good to me!" It keeps me in the know! I miss knowing about my peps!

Just to announce to the world I did get to see ECLiPSE and to all the haters, GO SEE IT! Just see it! It's better than the other two. So if you can get into the Vampire/Wolf thing it's great. I ENJOYED myself!

Ok, my day is complete. Loves to all! Hope to blog more SOON!

loves&hugs,
HiLL

To those who wait

Thanks Angie, for showing this to me. It's so perfect. And I know that we all go through our ups and down. And this last month things have been getting so good I'm almost expecting something bad. So I'll just enjoy these wonderful things right now. I FEEL as though it's been a long time coming. That these good tidings took a little while. But I know we have been blessed faster than so many, especially in this economy!

Derek received a promotion after being with Marriott just 5 months! He got lucky in some ways, this position just happened to open, and it wasn't expected at all! The interview process took a whole month before he found out he got the position. He is now a Sales Manager for Residence Inn & Courtyard Marriott. This did come with a pay increase & that has taken a huge load off our shoulders!

We are moving! Not too far from where we are now, still the same town, but we are moving to a duplex that's about the same size (a little smaller) but it has a yard, A/C, a MUCH lower utility bill, and $155 less a month! So we had to do it! It won't be the MOST fun packing and unpacking... again! But in the long run it's well worth it! Now you get to see more pictures of our new place. hahahaha LUCKY YOU

Derek got a car of his own! (he prob won't like me showing you this, but I'm proud of him!) Evidence that patience while looking gets you a STEAL OF A DEAL. We have been sharing and it has left me at home a lot. Since it was winter weather and cold it was ok but it's so nice to have my own wheels to go to visit friends, family and Jocelyn & I can go to some fun activities. We went to the Aquarium with Liz recently and it was SO MUCH FUN! JoJo loved it! She was in shock for the first half! So we will be going back there soon!

SO MUCH FUN! We love animals!

I'm not too sure how to phrase this, but I had a unique challenge presented to me... a very kind relative offered me a nice amount of money for a new wardrobe if I could get within 20lbs of my wedding weight by June 1st. Seeing as how after Jocelyn was born I kept all the pregnancy weight on, I was 65lbs over my wedding weight! And after feeling defeated at times, I SOMEHOW MANAGED TO DO IT! I have lost 45lbs! I still have 20 to get where I ought to be, but I have, after almost 2 years, got all my "baby weight" off. It's a big deal. If you haven't had a lot of weight to lose you just don't understand the constant struggle and emotional roller coaster we ride. So to any of you that have some lbs you want to lose, don't give up! If I can do it, you can do it! I've learned a lot through this, about myself and I'm grateful to the many people who helped me get moving! And taught me how to monitor what I am eating. THANK YOU! And THANK YOU to that special relative that was so kind to challenge me. Most of all I'm grateful to have some confidence back. Confidence in my appearance but more importantly knowing that I can do something that seemed impossible.

< this is my inspiration >

More good news, in 2 days my parents will be here! They are coming to celebrate Jocelyn's 2nd birthday! She is so excited to have them here! But I think they are more excited... it's nice to be a little closer than Hawaii! Not such an expensive trip! We are having a SPLiSH SPLASH FiSH party at my Grandparent's house. It's been fun to plan and shop for party decor, THANKS SOPHiE! I can't believe how Jocelyn is getting to be a little girl. She's not a baby anymore. So I guess I'll have to satisfy that itch asap! :D

Good things come to those who wait. I may not have waited as long as some of you for some successes in life, but Elder Holland is right, "Don't you quit! You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come til heaven.... but they come. It will be all right in the end!"

...believe in good things to come...

i love photobooth's

... of course this one was home made.

Jocelyn is so fun & silli these days. She's really trying to talk! I can tell she's saying sentences but I just can't understand the whole thing! Today after I handed her a sippee with milk she said, "I like miulk." While shaking her head and making this cute little expression! I know it's simple but it was darling.

Whenever Jocelyn wants to do something in a different room she says "hand" and grabs my index finger to take me to where ever it is she wants to go. I love it. She is still a Hawaiian girl! She LOVES being outside. I hear that word the most in a day. And as of tonight, after Derek gets home and she wants to be with him, she's starting to call Daddy "Derit" in a yelling-at-you-from-the-other-room voice... like I do. HAHA But she does it in multiples... hmmm. :> Kinda like when I'm calling Derek from another room, "Derek...... Derek?....... Derek!" I have got to watch my back... or mouth, rather! :> 

Jocelyn still loves baby dolls. She loves Disney princesses, like "Rella" and "No White", Finding "Memo" and "Pan" and "Bell" from Never Land. She LOVES books and can't get enough of them. I'm beginning to get tired of looking at my photo albums! We look at them EVERYDAY! So I need to get new pictures printed so I too can have something newer to look at. :) 

Jocelyn is definitely almost 2. I'm learning PATiENCE in many ways. Trial & Error on discipline. Guess and check, really. But there have been improvements in most areas so that makes me happy! I'm not giving up hope! :> Jocelyn's learning the word "Nice" and what's not nice. She even reminds me! She loves our daily walks and going down the "Siide" at the park. "Pastaaaa" and "Muk" are her staples of survival!

So know we're good over here! We are happy, healthy and having fun. Hope you enjoyed that lil 23 month old JoJo update.

We love & miss you all! 

Grannnnnndma's Comin' to Town!

Guess who was here?!

Derek's oldest sister Natalie and her two kids, Katherine & Andrew

Grandma CHRISTY and GiGi!

We had a great time, the weekend flew by so fast! Here are some of the things we did:

the CHILDREN'S MUSEUM at 

Discovery Gateway

So many things to do!

She LOVES to drive

Visited the...

This is the Place Monument 

We all went on a train ride through the village

the conductor

It was PACKED! haha

Went on Pony Rides...

... pet some animals!

...and we got to do a little playing in the Kid's Town.

It was so fun to have some family in town to visit!!!

................................

THEN 

To temple square!!!

We loved the TULiPS!

This is such a beautiful Temple

Grandma "Chreesty " & some of the grand kids!

xoxox Hope to see you again very soon! xoxox

G.F.

Ready or not here come the 

LADiES!

Jocelyn, Mae & Haven

Babies & Shades! Such a blast!

Look who stopped by?!

THE JOHNSTON'S! It was nice to have Ho Ho Gourmet Chinese with Ian, Katie & Patrick! I can't believe how big kids get after a few months! Patrick is just darling!

It was a fun surprise... Derek didn't know they would be there so he walked into the house after a long day at work and BAM! One of his best friends was sitting on his couch! LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE!

Thanks for stopping by! Loves & Hugs!

We DISCOVERED something fun at the GATEWAY...

Hmmm... What to do when it's cold and snowy outside...

Brooke Bagley picked us up for a day in Downtown!

Jocelyn making movies...

with someone we don't know ;D

At the theater! 

Kara & kids where there too!

Taking a drive!

In the Doll House playing mommy

SOOOOOO FUN!

Some of Hawaii REUNITED and it feels so good!

Thanks for a fun play date! We must do it again!