Trip to SLC

I have to do a break in the Hawaii action for this awesome little adventure!  Every year we take the Laurels to temple square for a little fun.  Every year we eat at The Garden and then try to go and meet Sister Dalton.  For the past three years we have had these types of pictures..........

 a picture by her picture.  Nice.  It has worked for us.

This year we walked into Sister Dalton's office building and asked the nice volunteer lady if she was here today.  We have learned from past experience that she isn't in the office in July or early in the week because they travel a lot on the weekends, so we didn't really have our hopes up too high.  We were ecstatic when she said that yes Sister Dalton was in the office today, but had been really busy and she wasn't sure if she was in an appointment or not, but that she would call up and see if she would meet with us.  We were (seriously) overjoyed when the missionary came back and said that she would come down and talk with us.  YAY!

We waited for about 10 minutes when we heard her shoes on the tile.  We all looked at each other and started getting excited.  She took us in the Presidents Room and had us all sit down in a circle.  She then had all the girls say their name and something about them that she could remember them by.  She said over and over how things don't happen by chance.  There was a reason we came there at that time and this day (it was the only 1/2 hour free she had all week, but still had to get ready for another meeting).  She said that she didn't know why she was supposed to meet with us, but the spirit told her that she needed too.  It was incredible.



She told the girls over and over how wonderful they were and how beautiful they were and how Heavenly Father is mindful of them individually and what is going on in their lives.   


She told them that you never know what your life will bring.  When she was a laurel she couldn't see past her high school in Ogden.  She had a boyfriend and she is now glad she didn't marry that boyfriend!  She never thought she would be the mother of six kids and never did she think that one day when she was scrubbing her floors that a prophet of God would call her in to meet with him and as her to be the YW president of the church.  AWESOME.



She talked to us for about 20 minutes.  There were no awkward pauses like some were worrying about.  She just counseled.  But it didn't feel like she was counseling.  We were all hanging on her every word.

The spirit that she brought was amazing.  Just when she walked into the room it was there.  All the girls cried, laughed and then cried some more.  We were all on a spiritual high when she left. 

Here is a bit of what the girls posted about it: 
Mo-I got to meet Sister Dalton today!! :) She is an amazinggg woman!! It's crazy how something so small can make the biggest impact. I feel so blessed to have experienced something soo special! I know that everything happens for a reason... And God knows our needs and desires. I am so thankful I was able to be part of something so spiritual, something I will remember forever
Kenzie:. "Things don't happen by coincidence. Remember who YOU are." This was a day to remember!
Carlee:Spending the day in salt lake with the Elwood 2nd ward laurels was incredible :) meeting sister dalton was one of the most amazing experiences. She is such a spectacular lady and I'll never forget what she told us :)

 

 They were all commenting on the spirit that they felt.  I, of course, loved that!

We wondered as we were leaving if we should press our luck and go try to see if the prophet was in his office!

Hawaii day 4....the north shore

Hawaii day four.  It is sad that it was only a few months ago and I had to converse with my mom and sisters over what we did that day.  We came to the conclusion that we went to the north shore (my favorite) and went to a variety of beaches. 

We started at Hukilau Beach.  It was really windy, but the waves were really fun.  I always love jumping in them (once I get used to the water...I am a WIMP).  Kace really loved it and Brandon even jumped in!  Those who know brother should be surprised.

Doesn't it kind of look like Baywatch.  Good thing he never looks at my blog.  haha

I thought this picture of mom and dad is so cute.  I am blessed to have such wonderful parents.  (Mom stop rolling your eyes.  And it is a cute picture)


Before we went we talked to some people that lived in Hawaii and there were two places they told us we had to go........Giovanni's Shrimp truck was one of those places.  I love shrimp so we made this a priority.

The garlic shrimp was SO GOOD!

One might wonder what Tydon was doing because he doesn't ever seem to eat when everyone else is eating.  That's right he was chasing and making friends with some random cat.

On to Waimea.  We loved this beach.  It was beautiful (pretty much all the beaches are though).

After a couple of hours at Waimea we drove down the road to Shark's Cove.  Dad and Ty went around and looked at the tide pools. 

Kami, Brandon, Cort and I played paddle ball.  Brandon and kami cheat.  They crossed the line nearly every time. 

I don't jump.  It makes me feel like I am going to pee.

Heidi will soon get that feeling when she jumps.

Don't know where Ty was when we were taking the other pictures.  Probably making friends with a random animal.

On to Matsumoto's for the best shaved ice EVER.  Seriously I have dreams about it.  It is that good.

I wish I would have taken pictures of the mango tree with the box full of free mangoes.  Nate was in heaven.  He filled my purse, bag, arms, etc.  They were really good.

We stopped at Turtle beach.  There were a ton of turtles EVERYWHERE.  You could see there heads poking out of the water all over the place.  There were so many.  It was awesome.

Gotta get a little closer!

On our way back to Waikiki we stopped at Puu Ualakaa State Park.  Actually now that I think about it, I am pretty sure we didn't stop here on Day four because we had a picnic lunch.  Someone will have to remind me what day we went here.  Anyway, it was a really pretty lookout.

My brothers are "TIGHT."

Hawaii day 3...Hanauma Bay and Pali lookout

On Monday we went the Hanauma Bay.  It was gorgeous!  We loved snorkeling here.  Perhaps this was the day Ty lost his snorkel fin.  We saw multiple turtles and all types of animals.  It was crazy!






Ty realized that he didn't like to put his face in the water so that was the end of that.  He didn't put on his snorkel stuff again.  He did, however, love playing in the water and sand. 

 Ty and Kace took turns "saving each other."

I love my boys :)  Remember that time on the third day of our trip I got fried.  That was fun.  Kace also got his first sunburn.  He wasn't quite sure what to do with himself.

It was gorgeous.  Now just a lot of pictures.

 
 Next we met up with mom and dad (they were flying in today).  We first went to get some shaved ice and then went to Pali lookout.  It was, of course, beautiful......and crazy windy.

 

We thought that it was so random that there were all these wild chickens around.  It was crazy.  Kace loved chasing them, which is why he missed the picture.  Also please note Ty's outfit of stripes and plaid.  He wanted to look "nice".

 

How nice of dad to hold mom's hair back for the photo.  :)

 

Hawaii Day 2

The second day we were in Hawaii was a Sunday so we figured that Pearl Harbor would be a good sabbath day activity since it is free.  We went there right when it opened to beat some of the crowds. It was interesting that there were so many Japanese people.  You could definitely feel the sacredness (is that a word?) of the spot.

We get a decent picture and Nate is "picking his nose."  Interesting.

The boys.  Nate couldn't stand the thought of wearing church clothes longer than needed so he brought his clothes to change into. 

The boys got a little bored, but they did okay.  This was the day I was most worried about for them.

Ty became a member of Heidi and Clayton's family for much of the trip.  He loved being with them.

My SISTERS :)  Love them.

After Pearl Habor we went to church.  It was the coolest church building I have been too.  Then we went on a hike to Manoa Falls.  It rained a little bit while we were walking, but the rain in Hawaii was more like a mist and felt really good. 

The hike was gorgeous!  It was so lush and green.  Kace and Ty loved swinging on the vines.  It looked just like I imagined Hawaii to look like.

Kace got there with the first group (which consisted of everyone but me, Nate and Ty......he is a bit slow)

When we got there Ty proceeded to fall in.  Heidi saved him and Cort laughed at him.

 

 Heidi (it was probably Clayton), thought of a great picture opportunity.  Don't they look like Adam in the garden?!  I think they had a little bit too much fun with this!