Ward Camp

We went to ward camp this year at Kakelas beach park.  We were only able to camp for one night instead of all 5 due to a nasty stomach virus that hit my hubby.   But I drove everyone back and forth to camp to participate in the activities that the ward hosted.  

It was lots of fun.  We tie died t-shirt and ran obstacle races, played volleyball, ate good meals, etc..

We are looking forward to camping next year with the ward again!

Sweetheart Picnic

Laie Elementary School holds an annual Sweetheart picnic.  The parents come and eat lunch with their kids.  It was a beautiful sunshiny day and we had a good time.  We ate indivually with each kid because their classes aren't dismissed for lunch all at the same time.  So we were having a picnic for over 2 hours by the time we ate lunch with everyone.

Emma loved this water bottle

Michael

Annie and Emma playing on the playground

Jared and his friend Landon

 

James eating his sandwich at the picnic

Peter squinting in the sunshine

Super Citizen Award

Super Citizen Jared

Super Citizens Annie and Jared

Super Citizen Kathleen and Peter

It was a banner assembly this month for our family.  Annie, Jared, Kathleen and Peter all earned the super citizen award!  The tradition in Hawaii is to give out leis when there is a good achievement.  So Michael and I had the opportunity to hand out candy leis to the kids.  That was lots of fun! 

MaleKahana Beach

We have gone to this beach twice now.  It is beautiful.  Riley gave us a couple of boogie boards so we have taken those out and had a fun time with them.  James has been timid with the water, but this last time, he was happy to go in as long as we held his hand.  That lasted until the waves went over his head, than he fled for the beach mat and dried off.  Emma likes to play also, but really enjoyed eating snacks the most. 

A big update

So, I am way behind on the blog.  Between moving and waiting for our stuff to arrive, than getting settled, I have not updated the blog since the job interview in Hawaii.  So I'm just going to give an overview and then start fresh. 

We moved to Hawaii on December 30.  We had a nice 10 hour flight that went really well.  The kids were great and behaved well.  We were picked up at the airport by Riley and Rose and given shell leis. That was fun.  They had brought 2 vans, to fit our luggage and all of us!  They drove us to our new townhouse.  We ordered pizza for dinner that night and then crashed on the beds that BYU had let us borrow until our things arrived.

The next few days were spent shopping for essentials like groceries and household items.  We only were able to borrow a regular mini van from BYU for a week, so we were in a rush to get settled and to buy enough groceries to last for a while.  Our neighbors are super nice and lent us toys, books, household goods, pots and pans, etc. to help tide us over till our things arrived.

Michael started worked at BYU Hawaii as the library director on January 4th.  They gave him a nice welcome breakfast and had made a lovely sign for his office.  (I don't have a picture of it on this computer, it is on the laptop).  While he went to work, I got the kids settled into school.  Jared, Annie, Peter, and Kathleen are attending Laie Elementary School and Carina and David are attending Kahuku High and Intermediate school.  James and Emma are home with me.  They all have nice teachers and are settling in nicely. 

The neighborhood has lots of kids and my children have made lots of friends.  We are now having the conflict of them wanting to play with their friends all the time.  I have had to declare Sunday as a family day so that we have time to reconnect as a family.  We are very grateful for their friends since they have helped our kids make a smooth transition.

Our things finally arrived on January 25 and our van on January 26th.  The unloading went smoothly.  Yay movers!  We have only discovered one box missing.  It is the Wii, so the the kids were very distressed at this discovery.   Having a van again is great.  Filling it up with gas at Hawaii prices, not so much..

We like our ward.  We are in the Laie 8th ward and the Laie North Stake.   I love attending church here.  Every talk, testimony, etc.. all start with, "Brothers and Sisters, ALOHA!" to which everyone replies, "ALOHA!"   I have gotten a calling as the sunbeam co-teacher.  James is thrilled since that is his class.  We have had the opportunity to attend the Laie Temple.  We really like it.   James now looks at our picture of the Atlanta temple and informs me that it is a church not a TEMPLE.  To him, all temples should look like the one he sees daily!

 So that is the synopsis of our move.  I'll update with pictures now since I feel more caught up.  ALOHA!

Hawaii

Flag driveway

Michael had a job interview at BYU Hawaii in October.  He applied to be the library director and the interview went really well!  We got the job and are moving at the end of December.  It is a very exciting time for us.

Mural on the McKay building (front entrance)

This is the main entrance after the flag driveway.  

View of the mountains from campus

Plumeria tree

Library building

 

The polynesian cultural center was so neat.  

We went to a Luau and saw their show, HA the breath of Life

One of the north shore beaches

View from the highway driving to Honolulu

Emma in her carseat during the community tour

Emma taking a nap during our down time

Emma and Mommy enjoying the beautiful outside!

Emma was such a good girl on the flights (10 hours on the plane) and during the entire interview process.  She was such and angel.  She attracted lots of attention with her beautiful hair and handled it fairly well.  (I did have to fight to keep one very persistent grandma from removing her from my arms at the Honolulu airport).

My buddy, James

James is my buddy.  He is the big boy at home while the kids are at school.  I am really enjoying his company.  He is such a cheerful little lad.  James loves to sing.  Everyday on the way home from the bus stop after dropping off Kathleen, he sings, The Wheels on the Bus!  Than he'll say, " That's a great song, Mom!"  I love it!

James enjoys helping me cook and clean the house.  He helped me make a super yummy cornbread the other day.  I was making bread last week and after I added the yeast, he said, "Now we need to add 1 cup of sugar!"  He knows the recipe for my bread!  Smart boy!  I always have a big helper on hand!

James loves to play with Emma.  He is slowly learning to share.  He lets her climb on him and holds still so she won't fall!  They laugh a lot together. 

James enjoys playing and laughs easily. James loves to read and will happily read lots of books with you.  He always has a big smile on his face!  I love my James!

17 years with Michael!

  Happy Anniversary to my handsome husband!

17 Things I love about my husband  

(in no particular order!)

1. He has a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
2. He is a good teacher.
3. He cooks good food!
4. He is a good father.
5. He loves music and has taught the kids a love of music.(especially rock and roll music...)
6. He has better manners than I do.
7. He is a good boy scout leader.
8. He works hard at his job.
9. He serves others willingly
10. He will imagine with you.
11. He plays.
12. He makes me feel secure.
13. He is handsome.
14. He loves to read.
15. He makes me laugh.
16. He provides for the family.
17. He loves me!

Annie

Annie and I were doing the dinner dishes tonight and discussing being an eternal family.  Annie asked if she needed to get married in the temple.  I said, yes, you should marry in the temple to be together forever.  She then asked what would happen if she didn't get married in the temple, so I explained that we would still be sealed together but her husband and children wouldn't be sealed to her and her own family wouldn't be together forever.  I then suggested that she pick out a nice returned missionary to marry.  Annie said, "But I don't know which Missionary to marry!"  I had a mental vision of missionaries lined like clothes in a store to be selected!  It cracked me up and I had to suggest that Annie wait till they were off their missions to pick her husband!   Can't you just see Annie appraising the missionaries in our ward to see if they are good husband material??

School has started today for Jared!  Kindergarteners get to start a day earlier than everyone else!  It took a lot to get Jared out of bed at 5:30, he was really tired.  But once the knowledge seeped into his tired drowsy brain that today was the day to go to school, he was up and ready to go.  Michael gave him a blessing before we left for the bus stop at 6:30 am!

The moon shone brightly!

Jared and James at the bus stop!

Jared doing his moves at the bus stop!

It was still dark outside and the moon was very pretty. 

We walked to the bus stop and waited for the bus to arrive. 

Jared was so excited when the bus finally came, he hurried onto the bus.  

He has been waiting for while to be big enough to go to school!

No tears, he didn't even look back!  

Have a fabulous first year of school, Jared!

Cardboard Boxes

One of the greatest joys of childhood is being given a cardboard box....

Peter and Jared in their cardboard castle..

Peter, Jared, and Kathleen in the passageway.  

This castle had a drawbridge and everything.  It was cool!

A few pictures!

Kathleen and Peter at with the Central lion, after the awards ceremony.  They both did very well!

Mama, Emma and Jared

Here are few pics of the kids playing on the swingset!