Baby Knox Is One

The joy that comes from creating life with your one and only love is a joy that can never really be explained. Our very own Heather and Troy have been blessed with three amazing children, and a fourth on the way! Their youngest, Knox, is not so tiny anymore. Knox recently turned one and to celebrate we thought we would take a look back at how fast these little ones grow. Rachel of Rachel Clare Photo beautifully captured the peace, love, and tranquility around newborn Knox.  We can't believe that in just a short month he'll be a big brother! 

To view more of Knox's photographs from his very first photo session click here

like a warm blanket...

My grandma passed away today. We watched her slip from this life into the next within such a short time. I remember getting the call just 6 weeks ago while I was at a wedding that something was wrong. Now she is gone and there seems to be an empty space.

The last few weeks have been filled with visits to her hospital room in between weddings and the normal jugglings of life and little ones. I have yearned to have her teach me all she could, share stories I have heard before just one more time, to tell her I love her more over and over, knowing that she may not hear me the next time.

I got a call late last night to come quickly. My brother Micah picked me up and we drove to San Clemente as fast as we could and stepped into a house that flooded us with memories, one that has been filled with years of Thanksgivings and crowded Christmas' with the family, of Easter egg hunts in the yard and Pac Man in the garage, hidden toys and cabbage patch dolls in the closets, family dinners and cousins running the stairs....and laughter...so so much laughter and love. This night there was a little less laughter in the house but no shortage of love. ..and still family, always family. Grandma has given us that. She has loved us dearly and greatly and always believed in us. She has taught us to take care of one another and gathered us together often. Where Grandpa has been the duct tape, Grandma has been the glue. She has never wanted more than for each of us to be happy and to share life together with all it brings. She understands what it means to be sealed to each other. This family is one of the greatest gifts she has given me.

Her life again gathered us together last night as we sat near her bedside and I took her hand that had been held, and kissed her cheek that had been kissed many times before that week by everyone that loves her, and that I love too. Grandpa sat in a chair in a room near the bed and I snuggled up next to him. I have always loved cuddling up next to him from the time I was a little girl and he has always had the best hugs to give back. I was worried about him tonight. I can't imagine what it must be like to watch your wife, who has been your companion and by your side for all of what you can remember lie in a bed with tubes and wires preparing to leave this life. But....she was beautiful still. Her fingernails and toenails perfectly manicured from her last visit before she went into the hospital just weeks earlier when they discovered the cancer. She wore a purple nightie that my Aunt Susie had picked up just this last Saturday for her with a cake, as my grandma and grandpa celebrated their 63rd anniversary. 63 years! Last Saturday, just days ago she was able to talk. By Sunday she was not able to get up or speak much. When I told her I loved her, she was able to whisper " I love you more". This night however, she lay quiet and unable to speak but gasping for air. ...and still, she was beautiful with her soft gray hair falling around her face and the soft lines on her face that represented years of concern and love for each of us.

It was good to be with each other. We read from Grandma's journals and family history that she had kept of each of us as music played quietly in the background. We learned that she saved every letter and card that any of us had sent her....every baby announcement, every wedding announcement. She kept up with each of her 5 children, her 20 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. She never forgot a birthday, she wrote us while on missions, hand-crocheted hats and scarves for us at Christmas and she prayed for us, always prayed for us. Tonight we continued to pray for her. Grandpa kissed her and told her that it was her time to go. She seemed to want to hold on a little longer. She never was one to want to leave a party or her family.

I returned home late and slept wrapped in the blanket that she had made for me at graduation, that had offered years of comfort through home-sickness and being away from home for the first time, through heartache and heartbreaks, through a mission, through my own marriage and births of my babies and the occasional flu. It has been there through all of it just like my Grandma. It is soft and somewhat worn but it will always be what I have to hold on to...with the many memories of a woman who has changed my life and taught me to love a little deeper and that life is truly about what we leave behind and what we teach our children and how we love them.

I will miss you Grandma.

three's company

Today you are three. You have not learned how to hold your fingers just so to show everyone...but that will come. I have tucked you in and the house is quiet now. We have already cuddled and read your favorite princess story, sung your favorite song and you have knelt by your bed with me and prayed for great grandma and princess dreams. In the morning you will wake up with a stretch and a yawn and I will ask you how you slept and you will exclaim in your cute little squeaky voice that you had good dreams about princesses. It is always the same and it makes us smile. You will ask for kisses on your cheeky and then grab my face with your little hands and ask to tell me a secret. Your secret is always the same too. "Mommy, I am a princess". It's true. Sometimes you pull the broom from the side of the fridge and begin to sweep as you recite, "I'm sweeping beauty!". When you dance you hold your skirt at each side and twirl as you sing. You clip clop around the house in shoes that are too big for you that you have pulled from my closet. You still call the shower tickle water as you let out a giggle when the water hits your back. You love make- up and mirrors and pants are never preferable....only fancy skirts. I often catch you hiding under the table eating cookies from the cupboard. You are sneaky and sugary and we can't get enough of you. You tell me you want to grow up to be a doctor, a mommy and a princess and I believe you may be all those things.

I love the way you can change my day just by simply saying "I love you mommy". I love you my sweet little girl. Happy Birthday .

Give me 5

Today you are 5. You still fill my life with music and laughter and now the occasional random facts about dinosaurs. You still dress up as a knight and fight dragons while rescuing your sister the princess and you still plan on marrying Tinkerbell. You still love bean and cheese burritos. You say you were cooked on them because I ate so many while you were in my belly. You still come in to snuggle with me when you have a bad dream and you still hold my hand. I hope you'll hold it forever. Today I told you I loved you and you told me you knew that already. I told you I didn't want you to ever forget. You said you'd never forget even when you got big because you would always take visits to me and all the people you love. I thought for a moment how that was a long way off and then I remembered that....

You'll be heading off to kindergarten next week. It has come so quickly. so so quickly. BUT...I think you are ready. This year has been one of great milestones:

You have cut your sister's hair this year...I mean really cut it! You have learned to operate the tv remote control all by your self and purchase Spanish pay per view movies...all by yourself. You have graduated from pre-school and flooded grandpa's house. You have your first backpack and your first pair of glasses which you love and look incredibly handsome in. You have learned to read a little bit and make the perfect smoothie. You learned how to snowboard and formed your first band. You can buckle your seat belt all by yourself and tie your shoe with care and a little patience.

I am so amazed by you everyday and feel so incredibly lucky to be your mommy. I love you my birthday boy! I can't wait to see what this next year holds.

Finn with his best friends and band mates, Noah and Carson.

we continue to pray...

We were so deeply saddened when we heard the news last night. Our beautiful friend and photographer, Natalie lost her sweet 2 month old, baby Gavin after his little body put up such a good fight.

I hate to use the word "lost", it doesn't seem right...

he has never been lost and is not lost now.

We know right where he is at this moment

and can take comfort in knowing they will be together again as a family...

so we will say he has passed on from this world.

to the Nortons...

Our hearts are filled with sympathy and our eyes with tears.

It was hard to sleep last night.

I tossed and turned thinking of all of you and the boys and how much immense love you share. Natalie and Richie you are a pillar of strength and a fountain of faith. We know you will survive this, you have already endured so much.. but in the meantime, we hope and pray that the prayers of others may sustain you and comfort you.

Amid all my tossing and turning last night my mind fell upon the image of an Uncle Gavin (Natalie's brother that recently passed on just 2 years ago)holding his namesake in his arms and rocking him. That image rocked me to sleep too.

Natalie and Ritchie, we love you and pray for all of the warmth and comfort that our Heavenly Father can offer you right now. That you may be rocked to sleep with sweet images of a dear little boy that you were so blessed to have in your life if even for a short time.

We continue to pray.

If you would like to send condolences or wishes to the family, their mailing address is:

The Norton Family

55-691 Wahinepe'e Street

Laie HI 96762

Also, donations can be made to the Norton Family via Paypal or Bank (remember to enclose their name and last for of their account #: 1351):

American Savings Bank

55-510 Kam Hwy.

Laie, HI 96762

home sweet home

Many thanks to Design Sponge for featuring our home today! It was truly an honor to be asked to be a part of their amazing and inspirational site and to be given the opportunity to share a little of my home and design with so many gracious and kind readers. Thank you for thinking of me Amy and the rest of the Design Sponge Team! It has been a great pleasure to hear of everyone's comments and reflect on the joy this home has brought us, especially as we are getting ready to move. It will not be easy to say goodbye .

Thought we would share some of the lovely photos taken by none other than Jamie Hammond Photography on our site as well, and some of our stories for posterity's sake....but for the actual post, much bigger pictures and guided tour head HERE.

[My husband Troy and I purchased our home 3 1/2 years ago in the San Elijo Hills (North San Diego County) area. At the time we had one little boy and it was a dream to be able to get started working on our home to make it our very own. Together we worked late into the evening as we pulled out carpet and replaced it with wood flooring, painted the walls from VERY high ladders, tiled the bathrooms and added crown molding and baseboards. I loved the fire place mantle my husband designed and built, as well as the wainscoting and French doors that were added on to what would eventually be our little girl's room. As a wedding designer, I wanted my home to be a reflection of my taste and style and a comfortable place for my brides to meet with me. We have found so much joy raising our family and making so many memories in the home that we have created.]

Our Family of Starfish

[My favorite thing in our home has to be our starfish that hang on our wall, representing our family. With each new child, on Father's Day, I wrap up a baby starfish to add to our wall, as a gift to my husband and our growing family. The children love looking at them everyday and pointing out which starfish is supposed to be them.]

my little Milla's room

[We wanted our little girl's room to be as bright and happy as she is, filled with lots of color and texture. One of my favorite things in her room is her little aqua table with stools. I love using small scale furniture that feels like it was made just for her. This is a favorite place for my children to sit and color or have snacks.]

[I also like to try to incorporate one element from each of the weddings that I have done into my home. It makes me happy to look around and be reminded of the beautiful brides that I have worked with and the special moments with them. In 2-year old Milla's room, a bright orange parasol from our "good fortune" wedding, hangs above Milla's crib. A handmade fabric bird and a birdcage from our " Lovebird" wedding perch on her shelf as custom made fabric snails from our "walk in the rain" photoshoot, crawl along her ledge, near the toadstool. I always encourage my brides to use things that can later be re-purposed to their home and serve as a lasting memory of their wedding day.]

my Finn's room

[Children's rooms are probably one of my most favorite elements of a home. They allow for a playful component in design and show that a little person with big personality lives there! My goal for creating my children's rooms was similar to my style of wedding design. I wanted it to be a space that was truly their own and reflective of who they are. My little guy, 4-year-old Finn, is already a musician and performer at heart. Like his daddy he loves guitars and we knew that we wanted to be able to encourage his talents and allow for easy access of his guitar, which sits right by his bed.]

[When I found a book that had a big black dog in it called "Sally Goes to the Beach" I knew that I had found the perfect element to add to his room. It combined our reoccurring subtle fish and beach element of our home with Finn's love for big black dogs that resemble our family dog, Kobie. I cut and framed pictures from it's pages to hang on his wall, which is a really inexpensive way to get art that you love.]

...many more happy times and design adventures to come in the next home. Thank you again Design Sponge.

xoxo, Heather

Super Duper

So while I'm on a SUPER kick this week...I've got to mention my LOVE for this little tube of SUPER Power. It is the perfect remedy for when Super Heroes decide to put pillow cases over their head while jumping on the bed. Despite how many times we have chanted no more monkeys jumping on the bed...one did seriously fall off and bonk his head! Not just any little bonk mind you but a head splitting, gushy kind of bonk that makes a mom quite sqeemish. Luckily when we called my favorite ER Doc, Uncle Craig...he pointed us in the direction of this little tube of glory and a steady-handed Daddy sealed things right up.

Seriously, No More Monkeys jumping on the bed!!

Fantastic 4 Continued...

With Finn's fascination of all things super hero...we knew it was time to gather all the super heros for one big day of action packed fun! Finn and his daddy delivered invitations in manilla envelopes marked "TOP SECRET" and addressed to each of the kids superhero name. Some of those in attendance were:

The unsinkable Carson Brown

The Incrdible Hulk "Hoggan" Boys

The Kent "Clark" kids

Wonder Boy "Boles"

The high flying daredevil (this was for Finn's uncle Blake, who is a pilot and may be his #1 hero)

Cat Girl and Wolverine (as to elude to Finn's cat loving aunt Tracy and very hairy uncle Micah)

oh...and my personal favorite...Fat Man and Robin (for Finn's Grandpa and Nanny) among many others. We had a good laugh putting these together.

To set the scene we took some of the many cardboard boxes from our garage and painted them gray. We then took black and yellow paint samples we had gathered from Home Depot and attached them to the boxes to create lights on our buildings. It was a simple and cheap way to create a cartoon city! Grandpa then ran his custom made slip n' slide under the tower of buildings.

Some Super Heroes came flying in with their capes, but for those that didn't we had a super solution....

Upon arrival each each of the kids grabbed a bag and decorated their own superhero mask made from felt. We also took standard kitchen trash bags and cinched them to create capes in which the kids could decorate (many thanks to Aunt Tracy for coming up with that one!). It was so fun to watch the kids running around the yard all dressed up.

Luckily Finn's Aunt Kindsday got a hold of him that day to play dress up. They gathered everything that they could from his room...and then Kindsay fashioned a SUPER "S" from our left over felt. I think he looked SUPER cute. Undies over the p.j.'s always a good look.

My little Milla had fun getting into costume too. She is always all about the accessories.

Each place setting held a water gun and that day each SUPER Hero got to be "Faster than a speeding bullet"....

and....

This led to knocking over buildings in sheer delight...

and a serious SUPER Hero stand off in a battle of tug-o-war on the slip in slide.

Their strength amazed us all! :)

They were also able to leap tall buildings in a single bound but decided it was more fun to knock them down.

Like every Super Hero they also had to conquer their weaknesses. We had a kryptonite hunt where the kids gathered all the sparkly green rocks we had spray painted days earlier and hid. They had to be carefully contained in the kryptonite case but the kids did it with the greatest of ease.

They also had to survive the rope swing and the custom made slide into the pool that grandpa built.

as well as THE VOLCANO! Finn is currently AS equally obsessed with Volcanoes as Super Heros... so we knew that if we could find a way to incorporate one into the party we would make his day. Finn and his daddy spent time constructing the project and painting the volcano in the garage and by party time it was ready to explode.

The kids all gathered around and waited for the diet coke and mento erruption. It was big smiles, squeels and excitement from them! ...followed by a "let's do that again" daddy!

The day finished up with presents and Finn's very own capes! He actually got two which he puts to very good use. He is always wearing one of them wherever he goes.

Lastly, what is a birthday without a cake? The Sweet Cheeks girls delivered big time for me on this one. I was so excited to see what they would come up with and they took the inspiration and ran with it! They made all of finn's cake dreams come true!! ...He could not stop talking about his cake or nibbling on it prior to candle time. :) Many thanks to everyone over there for being so awesome!!

Many more wishes to come until next year!