Thursday, June 28, 2007

What a Ride!

It seems that the rollercoaster life ride that we have been enjoying for the last few years has finally come to an end. Due to dramatic and sudden business changes in Mark's career field, our family will be relocating to Utah the end of August. Yes, I know that this announcement is contradictory to my previous post which noted we had a 92 percent chance of staying in the tropics; it seems the 8 percent chance of moving won the struggle. We are 100 percent sure that we will be moving to the mainland at the end of August. If you were planning on coming to visit the islands anytime after the end of August, we apologize for the sudden inconvenience this change might have on your travel plans, however, due to unforseen extenuating circumstances, Mark will be relocating to Utah Valley.

In other words: Mark sends his financial planning business through a company called Brookstreet. Last week a group of not-to-bright, risky brokers concocted a deal that essentially brought down the entire company because they overextended their business by about 170 million dollars (read up on this in business news)...anyways, Mark has to transfer his business to another financial firm...thus he will be now transferring to Utah. Not to worry, this doesn't affect any of his clients investments or portfolios, it just means that he will have to send his business through another firm. IT ONLY AFFECTS OUR SEMI-PERMANENT RESIDENCE!!!

In other words: Bye bye Hawaii, hello Utah.

In other words: If you wanted to visit Hawaii and stay for almost free (chip in on groceries and gas if you use my car) you need to rearrange your travel plans to travel in July because that is when I have no previously engaged house guests.

In other words: Plan your tropical vacation to visit sometimes Sunny Utah...our house will always be open to you there too!

Monday, June 25, 2007

Future Photographer!

Since I was on yearbook staff in high school, I have had a fascination with photography. I have had the chance to play around with my dad's ever changing-upgrading cameras and my brother-in-law, David's camera. Then last year my friend Natalie, who is also aspiring to become a great photographer, took our family pictures, I absolutely decided that I too would one day become a photographer...or at least take decent pictures. My dad recently purchased the Nikkon D80, which I have to say is a fabulous camera. Since we arrived in Utah last week, I have been playing around with his lenses and different tester subjects. So, I thought I would post a few of my practice shots! If you have any advice for me...please let me know!!!






Friday, June 15, 2007

Princess in Training

I just returned from my ward's girls camp. Our theme this year was princesses in training. We were princess Mia from the Princess Diaries. So we started out the week dressed as nerds and then we slowly progressed to beautiful, manicured princesses. Here we are on the princess hike. Lucky little Theodore got to go to girls camp with me. Then the girls decided that Theodore would be our mascot and they dressed him up as Fat Louie (Princess Mia's Cat). He was such a good mascot.
Here is Theodore during the girls' free time. He is just chillin' on one of the girl's air mattresses.
Eventhough George and Henry weren't able to come to girls camp, the benefited in the "nerd" experience. Our theme was "geek to sheek", I think my boys are stuck in the "geek" stage...hahahaha....


Sunday, June 10, 2007

Cuddling Teddy the Bear

Ok, seriously, I know in this picture I look really tan, but in all honesty I think that it is the flash because I am really not that much darker than my little Theodore. Now to the business of this blog, I absolutely love when Theodore falls asleep on me. Most of the time, he wants to fall asleep alone in his crib with a blanket to hold while he sucks his thumb, but, if I am lucky and I have kept him up long enough, he will nod off as I hold him. I couldn't miss the opportunity to take a shot of my little porky bear! I love his little chubby legs and arms. Here we sit on my couch just cuddling on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Friday, June 08, 2007

George the Graduate of 2007

Last week before we left for Kauai, George graduated from kindergarten! I can hardly believe that he is already graduating, it seems like he just started school. Of course, the graduation was truly Hawaii style with leis for the kids up to their ears and a complete program just from the graduating kindergarten class. The principal announced the classes, the students filed into place, the students presented "God Bless the USA" song and then each student recieved his/her diploma. After the ceremony the students returned to their classrooms and took pictures, handed out leis to classmates and danced (literally, the kindergarten teacher taught the students to slow dance, complete with turns, dips and one hand held and one hand on waist). To top off the day, George's teacher gave each one of the graduating boys a tie for graduation that is to be their future "missionary" tie, so they remember to go out into the world and serve! I asked George what he learned this year and his response was a line that his teacher had the students repeat everyday at the start of class, "To be the best that I can be, the chioce will always be up to me." You really do learn life's keys to success in kindergarten!




Tuesday, June 05, 2007

The purpose of this blog

I haven't blogged for quite sometime because, as my friends call it, I have been in hibernation mode. We have been blessed to be busy with the end of the school year, George's kindergarten graduation, sight-seeing visitors, youth activities and cheap, CHEAP, cheap inter-island tickets. So if you are wondering why I haven't returned many phone calls or replied to e-mails, those are just some of the reasons. This past weekend, we took a trip to the island of Kauai! I love that each of the Hawaiian islands are unique, so by just taking a short 25 minute plane ride to another island feels like I am in a different state. We went to Kauai with my cousin and his little family. Together, we all hiked past Hanalei to see the beautiful, untouched Na Pali Coast. This coast is remote with no vehicle access, so they only way to view it is by boat, helicopter or on foot. There are waterfalls and caves around every other bend. The complete hike is 11 miles each way, but we only went 1 mile to the first look out. The scenery was surreal. We stoped, caught our breath and took lots of pictures. My other favorite site was Waimea Canyon. They call it the grand canyon of the pacific. From what I remember of the grand canyon (we visited it when I was about 10), the Waimea Canyon is very similar but with a tropical feel. While we were there we saw a Ne Ne goose (Native Hawaiian bird) and a mountian goat. If you ever have the chance to visit Kauai, you definitely should take it!
George and Henry hand no problem hiking through the lush Na Pali Coast, but I dont think I will do it wearing slippers next time.

What could really be more beautiful? There is something so fulfilling about being surrounded by this beauty, why would anyone ever give this up?

Yes, this is the purpose of this blog. We will not be giving this up. The likelihood that we will be moving to Utah in the fall is at approximately 6% and the chance that we will stay in Hawaii is 94%. I will update the statistics as they change.