HappY HaLLoWeeN!

When I first got to schooL the kids couldn't wait to show me their bags full of costumes for Trick-or-Treating! They could not wait to go...they could hardly wait for their naps to be over...most of them couldn't sleep!Tina and Alex Before...



...and AFTER ha ha...love the face. She gets a little shy.



With Alex there is no holding back! Spiderman is the shiz.



Bryan loves "Harry Potter" and will write "HP" BRYAN on all of his papers...



...therefore he is "HP".


Jason and his little sister (mei mei) joined us in their devil and mini mouse wardrobe. Love.



Evan was so proud of his Pirate hat, Steven the beetle, and Michael aka Spiderman...yeah boyeeeeeee!



Fairy face Sophia...so cute.



ummmm Leah the lost Angel? with her upside down wings. She's a babe.



Mommy pics before we hit the road for some Trick-or-Treating! Yahooo!



We had a long walk around the neighborhood and are about to hit our last two spots. A church and a restaurant! Cha! The kids were getting tired, but so happy to be outside (it's always nice to be outside) and getting candy for FREE.99!



kids in their costumes and moms at hand made for a nice Trick-or-Treating adventure.



A little tuckered, but still happy to be out.



Singing "The Witches Brew" while waiting for our candy givers to come out and...give!



A little tribute to BoBo...the kid runnin excitedly to who knows where.



BoBo eyes Leah and...



...goes for it. Until I say, "Ahh BoBo No". Meanwhile Leah's calm nothing remains the same. She was so excited, but the pictures just don't capture her true expression moments before.




OH. okay.




Uhhhh one of the few pics of me...and the kids. I am dressed as an Angel! (Thanks Cindy)

I Drew a Line

Today I had that day dream feeling...when you're ready to sleep only you're outside in a huge open field minus the snakes and other harmful things...and you're stretched out comfortably as you look at the stars feeling happy to just BE...there. And if I were in a video and the background music was Coldplay's Yellow the camera would zoom away from my face as it's turning slowly in circles and then it opens up to me being this tiny speck in a moonlit sky and its light reflects off of everything it touches. Somehow it's as if I have become part of the stars.

Okay, but the funny part is when he sings, "I drew a line, I drew a line for you...." I thought he said, "A truer lie, a truer lie for you..." or something like that. And I thought how could there be a true lie, better yet a truer lie? Ah the things you make up for the lyrics you don't know, but think you know. I could still be off on the right lines. Nevertheless it was always fun to belt out using those exact words. Ahhhh to dream.

Glad to Be...

Today I was actually glad to be...sick. I hate those days when you're kind of sick, but you know you could be at work. But this was a day I was honestly sick, and I could honestly call in to work and say, "I'm sick". So I was grateful to be...sick because it meant I could stay at home and rest for a second. Sorry moms, I know many of you don't even get a sick break...so I will enjoy the moment.

Porter Jackson (PJ)

Little Porter had to hit the NICU when he first arrived. My little bro, Dan, said he wasn't too worried, but than he's always been pretty optomistic.




Here's PJ's grams (yup the Martin grams). She is laughing so hard right now. This is the best kind of laugh anyone in the Martin fam could ever witness...it's contagious b/c it's usually about the most random things! Porter is so cutie here.





Porter posing for an announcement pic. He looks good in...orange!




My folks were watching him this day. What a bundle of baby cute face_lovin_ cuteness_ all wrapped up in blue_all bunched up and surrounded by colors and cars cute or maybe they're trains cute. I love you cute face. I can't wait to meet you. Welcome to the family and thank you for blessing us with excitement, happiness, love, and fun adventures together ahead! Next year can't come soon enough!

All pics courtesy of my dad and Dan. Much Love!

What?! My Nieces...First Date

One day I got an email from my little niece, Savannah.

S: "I'm doing pretty good...i went on my first date on my birthday! the kid that took me was Chris Olsen he is a senior but a young one so he is only 17 but he is the nicest kid ever! It was me and him and two other couples. We went to Los Hermano's it was fun he told them that it was my birthday and so they made me wear this big Sombrero it was so funny! but it was way way fun i loved it..."

kk: Tell me more about this dude....

S: he is a way fun kid. anyways about the...

kk: (in my mind) ...ha ha...girl you are too funny. Not real into anyone_ Always a cool thing especially as a teen.

Later Savannah emailed me all these pics and wrote:

"hey hey hey im glad you liked them! ya my friends are alot of fun i love um i have a couple kids i think are cute but no boyfriend which i think is fun and better :) ha ha anyways. well i'm going to have to keep this one short and sweet cause i've got MUCHO homework :( haha but i can't wait till you get home i love talking to you it releaves all my stress and lets me get away from hard times for a little. counting down the days till you get home!!!!!!!!!
<3 <3 <3 ///::: Savannah

PS the weather has been pretty hot till about yesterday it started raining ad you can feel the fall breeze coming in. haha but see ya"






Savannah....and a kid named Chris.



I think this is so funny...Chloe is in awe of her older sister and Savannah is just like...dude what's up...or maybe it's more like..uhh are you serious?



Savannah is on the Left in turqouise.




Hey...strike a pose.




Ah the things girls do for fun...


Love you girlfriend!!!!!!! Thanks for sending me all the fun pics! And keeping me updated on all the good times. Don't forget to write down more of grams sayings for that "precious moments" shirt we're going to...create!
Love, me

Ysella {Ee-SeLL-uH} Leilani

Ysella Leilani Sneddon
LEiLaNi: Flower from Heaven




LauginG Flower from HeaveN




Jubie, James, and Ysella




Jubie: origin comes from The mixing of her parents names. Her parents grew up in the PHilippines and came to California before they began a family.

Jubie was one of the first people I ever met during my first year at college (BYU-HI). We were headed to a freshman orientation ha ha...and as I stepped out of my door so did she. We practically linked arms and walked to the auditorum together and have never seemed to stop linking arms.

We've linked arms through night walks on the beach, at high tide, tripping over couples making out while trying to find a bon fire. We've linked arms on our way to way fun dances....when the Hawaiian locals are there....it's not the same! We've linked arms walking across campus and got to meet President Hinckley on his guarded golf cart. We got to shake his hand and feel of his faithful loving Spirit. We've linked arms at the Oakland Temple...shoot...I was on my mission and she just happened to be outside the doors when I came out....just in time. Jubie stopped at the airport before I headed home from CA. so we could link arms again! We also linked arms in the Oregon Temple when she and James were trying to decide if they should have another baby. That day....was one of solemnity and peace and silenced the fears of the unknown...and a few years later we have only begun to be blessed by heaven sent baby Ysella Leilani....For forever. For Eternity.

WE are linked for eternity. Fa'a fetai Lava for blessing so many of us with your love, friendship, and sister Love. Love you sis!



Proud brother Kainoa (aka Kai). Ysella looks so much like he did when he was a babe. They're lucky...they got their mama's lips!




Cute face Kai, baby Ysella, and Grandpa Rieta. Love you gramps. Jubie's dad had a little mechanical shop somewhere in the hills of Hayward and he put a pic of me and Jubie up (it was of us at the Oakland Temple hee hee) and he never took it down....It is such a simple thing as this that makes me feel alive, loved, happy, and grateful.




Uh...I don't know....some father/son, eating/bonding time or something. It's cute.




Makeo (aka Mac) gettin in some one on one time with Ysella. He's in love.



Some Grandma Rieta lovin.


Sweet dreams baby Ysellal Leilani. Love you.

All pictures courtesy of Mom Jubie via emaiL...Much Love! Love them ALL! I have yet to meet my Little Name Sake. Can't wait.

SomEtiMeS

Sometimes you think the person taking your picture told you to say "Qi" (chee as in cheetah). I thought it was interesting one should say "Qi" (that's 7 in Mandarin) b/c it sounds so similar to cheese. Well everyone is laughing at my thought process. I got my qi on while they got their cheese.




I went to hear Elder Richard G. Scott speak at this hotel. I don't recall the place or name at the moment...but it had beautiful gardens and a bunch of "famous" cartoon characters throughout the vicinity.




Sometimes you do this...



and sometimes you do this...



Cool place.




This is the view from the tower.




Cute toon.




Sometimes you see it...









...and sometimes you don't.




I don't know...sometimes you just take a pic.









Where we sometimes ate.




Where the night's dance would be held.



Dance Theme: Knight's/Princesses. Lame. But I got a funky dress.

Okay the scenario: Sometimes you are the only one that dresses up for the party (1 out of 3). However, when you do dress up everyone comes up to you and acts like you are a movie star. They want to take your picture. Or if they don't have a camera they take the opportunity to say "Piao Liang" or "Oh you are rilly princess" or "Oh wow very beauty"....I couldn't pass up my one night of fame. I can now see why they prefix everything with the word "famous". They make you famous. I took as many pictures as they wanted. I was laughing so hard...inside...at how ridiculous my dress was...on purpose...and yet these people were totally serious about their comments. If you want to feel like a superstar no matter what you wear...dude come to Taiwan. It was good times.




So there was a live band. Finally towards the end they played one song in English. It was an old Lindsay Lohan teen song "You're It...you're the ultimate...I've been waiting all my life for someone just like you...!" So uh...sometimes you just mosh. I became...the moshing princess. Waving my magic wand around, singing out loud to the lyrics...kind of missing America...and then a bunch of guys joined me. They loved moshing. Who doesn't. Well I mean you know...sometimes you just...mosh.



This is one of the dudes who moshed with me and I quote as said when he joined in on the fun, "Oh Kaffy you are soooo coo!...ha ha ha". Ah kid...thanks, but really I'm just a nerd. I still wish you could have heard the accent and saw the moment....and well....it's just all about....sometimes.