Easter 2016

I love Easter Sunday. I can't decide if I like Easter or Christmas better.  Perhaps Easter. It is just filled with such hope and light. I love the Spring - the promise of the new day and good things to come. I love that Easter always falls on a Sunday - so that we can truly focus on the Savior.
The doctrine of the resurrection teaches me so much of hope, faith, mercy, love and it motivates me to do and be better. It is the promise and comfort that we will see our loved ones again. I think of grandma (Agatha), Kyle's mom, Joel, my dad. And most of all I think of the knowledge that this precious family I have will be together forever.  I love the gospel, I love the Savior.

Below are the handsome boys - I can't help but think of them as missionaries as I see them all together like this.

Typical of these boys when they get together : )






What the Easter Bunny brought them - chocolate bunnies : )




Jess made this cute dessert for the kids - Keawe sure lit up when he saw it.

Provo City Center Temple

We went through the open house of the Provo City Center Temple today. It was so wonderful. I have actually already been through three times before, including a super VIP tour with the area authority, Elder Lund who was the area authority assigned over its construction.  He explained things and showed us so much, including opening doors to the outside of the temple so we could orient ourselves.  I went though with Uwe and Ainana. That was pretty special.  And then I ushered and stood in the temple for almost 5 hours (in one spot).  But today was special in a different way. Today, I took my kids with my sweet husband.  And together we walked into the Celestial room together.  As we approached the room, I felt the Spirit so strongly as I anticipated what was ahead. I was behind everyone so I could clearly see them all together and in front of me.  It was such a beautiful moment that I cherished.  Elder Holland, in an introductory video we watched before the temple spoke of how when he thinks of Heaven, he could not imagine it truly being heaven without his family. And that is exactly how I felt today and always feel.  What a beautiful day.  I love to see the temple and to be in the temple with my family.
As we were driving home I asked the kids what their favorite part was. Most of them said the baptistry. I told them of my thoughts and said that the most happiest day I look forward to is when our whole family will again in the temple together.  Oh what a blessed day that will be.


Here are a few more pictures from the day:


When Kekoa was just a newborn baby, Kyle spoke from the pulpit in Stake Conference. I remember it all so well from changing Kekoa's diaper right before Kyle spoke to Kyle talking about me in his talk.  

Primary Program 2015

The primary program is always so fun to watch. This year we had 4 of the kids participate.  I had Akoni join this picture because he was unofficially a part of it as well.  Before sacrament meeting began, I walked Ka'imi up to the front so she could sit where she was suppose to. Akoni followed me. As we returned to our seat, he started crying (screaming really) because he wanted to stay up on the stand with Ka'imi to participate.  Throughout the program he kept asking me to take him up there. I said no of course. When Jessica and Sister Wilkerson's class were up to do their part, Akoni asked again if he could go up there. I said he could if he went by himself, thinking he wouldn't be brave enough to.  But instead he just walked right up and got in line to say "his part."  He even waved and smiled at me when he got there. I wasn't sure what to do. One of the Sisters took him and held him on her lap as they finished up.  Even though we attempted to bring him back down, he stayed and even stood with the kids to sing at the appropriate times.  After sacrament meeting, he came up to me so excited and said, "Mom, I did a good job, right?!" It was so cute.  The older kids did a great job too. They did their parts so well. I was so proud of Ka'imi, thinking how much she has grown. Last year she wouldn't go on the stand at all and this year she even spoke her part.  It is so wonderful to see them growing little by little in the gospel.  Next, year it really will be these three and then Kekoa will graduate out of primary. Holding on to this year!

UVU Pow Wow 2014

A little over a week ago, Jeannie Groves asked Kyle if the boys would dance Hoop at the UVU pow wow.  We weren't sure if they were up for it with such a long absence from dancing and they had out grown the outfits they used the last time they preformed for a crowd. So I knew I would have to make them more.  I asked them and made them commit to preform if I went through all the work to create them new regalia.  I finished their outfits the day before and they practiced and performed beautifully. I'm so amazed at how well they did
even after literally years of not performing and hardly picking up the hoops.  I really hope that when we move to Orem, we can get them practicing weekly. I love watching them perform and I already have ideas of the ways that I can add to the outfits they have. Time to learn to bead!

Mudcats

Ikaika has been looking forward to this day for so many months, I couldn't even say how many. I remember him asking Kyle to take him to play baseball at a field nearby before winter came and it got cold.  So he finally is on a team and today he had his first game.
I thought it was so adorable that he got ready two hours before the game then went out side to warm up. He got out cones, set them up and created his own little drills.  I loved watching.
When it came time for the game it was a bit chilly, but we still enjoyed watching. It was the first time I had watched little ones play. They were so cute, trying so hard. Ikaika did great, getting a couple hits. He played first base and I told him that it was always my dream to play first base, but I always got put in the outfield.  He smiled. I love seeing him be so excited about something.

Commitment to do better . . .

It is March 19, 2014.  I just looked through the last few postings of this blog. I can't believe how much time I let go by without blogging. It makes me sad that a part of our little family history will be missing or at least very minimal.  Whenever I look back at it, it amazes me at how much the kids have grown and how quickly time flies.  I want to remember these precious days and be able to treasure them.  So I have a new commitment to do better, starting today.

And here is the heading picture that was posted on our blog when I made the commitment to do better. I can't believe this picture is just about 2 years old!

Disneyland

A couple months ago, Kyle told me that he wanted to take the kids to Disneyland before the new baby came.  Initially, we were going to go during spring break, but I thought it would be better to go as soon as we could so that I didn't have to be at the end of my pregnancy when I went.  So, Kyle looked at his work schedule and we decided this was the week to go.  Things worked out well for it.  One of the good things was the boy's school happened to be off on Monday so that was one less day they had to miss.  It also worked out that Ka'imi's birthday fell on the last day we were visiting Disneyland.  I was so excited to tell her that on her birthday she was going to meet the real Cinderella.  Thankfully it worked out with her and I getting a reservation to the Disney restaurant called Ariel's Grotto, so that we could see Cinderella :) Here are pictures and more info on our little three day adventure.

Below: This is our first morning. We went to Disneyland this first day, and then California Adventure the two following days.  We got the stroller partly for this purpose, because it was the only double stroller I could push with ease.  It was a lifesaver.

Below: And here is one of the two pictures we took with the Disneyland castle in the background.  We thought we were going to come back on Wednesday, but the kids liked California Adventure better so we went there for our last day.  Do you spy Ka'imi?

Below: Here is our family waiting for the parade on the first day.  It was a fun parade with plenty of entertainment.

Below: I was surprised at how excited Ka'imi was to meet Minnie Mouse. I thought that she just cared about the Disney Princesses. She was so cute after and said, "She is so beautiful!"

Below: Day two was at California Adventure.  Here we are waiting for the Monsters Inc ride.  And Ka'imi is dressed in a nightgown because that was what I could find to buy her after she had an "accident." Yes, we survived even that.

Below: Getting a yummy treat to relax in the middle of the day. My achy feet from all the walking was the only hard part.

Below: Nothing says Disneyland than a Mickey Mouse cookie.

Below: Akoni being silly as I get a picture of him with the huge Mickey ferris wheel.  He loves to take pictures.

Below: And day three with the Birthday girl. She and I enjoyed a dinner at Ariel's Grotto together and meet 5 Disney princesses :)  She loved it and that was what was most important.

Below: Meeting the real Cinderella! I was so relived that it actually worked out that she did. I would have felt so bad if it didn't work out.

Below: Ka'imi didn't miss a thing.  She noticed how the princesses posed in the pictures and decided to do the same when I did a little photoshoot of her outside after dinner.  I made this modern Cinderella outfit for her to wear for her birthday.  It was so much fun to create.

Below: I always try to get a picture with the kids on their birthdays.  We took this one while Kyle was taking a couple of the boys for one last ride on the Carsland ride.  Ikaika took this picture.

 Below: Still waiting for the Daddy and the boys to come back so that we could go back to the hotel.

Below: One of our very favorite places was the Disney Art Studio. We did three drawing classes there. Here's one of the walls as you head out.  Not the best lighting, but I liked it as an ending picture.

Below: And finally, back at the hotel with the kids displaying the goodies they got with the allowance we gave them.  My goodness were we tired by the end of the third day.  Happy but tired.

It was a wonderful trip.  I really loved spending time together as a family.  And of course we hope that the kids will always remember and have good childhood memories of this trip :)

Happy 4th Birthday Ka'imi!

It is always fun to ask the kids what birthday theme they want to have. This year, Ka'imi decided quickly on a Cinderella theme. I teased her for a while that I was going to make everyone clean for the party :) After browsing Pinterest for ideas, I came up with the idea for the party to be a Before the Ball party.  I had so much fun making Cinderella aprons for them to wear for the first part.  Then after a couple activities they got to transform into Cinderella with her beautiful gown.  Here is the invitation that I created.

So fun.  There is not a day that goes by that I do not have a great feeling of gratitude to have her as my daughter.

Turning 35

I am not the biggest fan of showing my arm in pictures, but Kekoa took this one and I figure that is me and what I really look like so its ok.
Today I turned 35! It only seems crazy when I realize I can remember when my mom was 35 and here I am at that age now.  It was a great day - it began with breakfast in bed.  The boys were so cute getting all excited to see Kyle bring it to me.
After all the kids were to school, I had a chance to go to the temple. It was such a wonderful session.  For different reasons, I felt like I learned things and felt the significance of covenants and the plan in a way I never have before.  It was so uplifting.