My New Favorite Place

While Josie, Joshua, Adam and Isaac are at school:

 

Halloween

We've been growing Johua's hair for a while now.

 

 

It was the perfect surfer hair

But it was time for a change.  And Halloween was a perfect excuse.

Josie also wanted to be a rock star.

Adam will be sweating all day in his favorite frog costume.

And Isaac . . . an entomologist.  (Notice the bug catcher Sonya?).   He caught a gecko in the morning just for the occasion

And Jared and Anna and Jacob.  They quickly stripped off these costumes because they are sweating in them.  Halloween is sure different over here!

 

Now I'm off to buy a ton of candy . . . . and prepare for a crazy night.  I guess it is normal to have 1000 trick or treaters on neighboring streets.  Oh What FUN!

Dishes

After two days without electricity, we had a massive pile of dishes and laundry (without electricity our sewage pump doesn't work so we couldn't use much water).  But taking the dishes outside made it oh so much better.  Jacob had them washed in no time.

Sunrise with the Happies

The jet lag we've experienced these past several weeks has completely exhausted us.  Eric and I still find ourselves waking up at 3am.  Adam and Isaac wake up really early too, which leaves us plenty of time to walk to the beach before school.

Last Saturday the kids loved watching the launching of the Josepa

at Hukilau

It was pretty cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgJVjjPoRXw

If you ever want to visit, July is a pretty great month (if you can stand the heat and humidity).  During the whole month they celebrate Laie Days.  And as one local stated, "It is where we all celebrate living on this beautiful land and that the gospel is here."  Quite literally it is a party almost every day.  Really.  Parades, carnivals, four hour talent shows at the PCC, ward camps that last a whole week on the beach.  I've never seen anything like it.  We participated in a Hukilau at Hukilau beach a few weeks ago.  It was quite anti-climatic because only 4 fish and 2 crabs were caught. 

Josie, Josh, Adam and Isaac started school back in July . . . YES JULY!  They got a whole one month of Summer vacation.  I love that they can walk to school.  We love their teachers.  Adam actually goes to school happy!  Which is a miracle in itself.  And this school is HUGE.  680 students in an area the same size of Dicken.  I'll post pictures of that first day soon.

Hawaii So Far

We are here and we are home!  MOVING to Hawaii is totally NOT fun . . . . (the time change, the climate change, our stuff getting stolen and completey damaged during the move--and times that by NINE because we all were going through it).  But LIVING in Hawaii is the best.  Here is just a taste of what the last several weeks have been like for us:

We catch a lot of lizards and toads (So Isaac is in heaven!)

 We jumped off the rock at Wiamea

 Josh was the only one who showed NO fear and did it 20 times that night.

 Handsome Jacob turned 3

 Eric had his first day of work at BYU-H

 Anna is getting bigger and more beautiful every day.

Josh looks like a native.

We swam with turtles at Lani Beach.

And we swim everyday at Hukilau

We miss all our friends and family very much and look forward to seeing you all when you come visit!

Dicken Woods Walk

On February 15th I took the four oldest on the Dicken Woods Walk. It's an annual school event that I look forward to every year. The kids love it too.



During art class the kids create these great lanterns which are then placed along a pathway through the woods. As a community, we walk along the path at night enjoying the lovely glow from the lanterns. It's really magical.


When we get back, we all meet in the school for cookies and hot chocolate. We had a great time.



During the night I managed to snap this picture of Josie, Adam, Joshua, and Isaac just as we were heading into the woods.


Here's a Flikr link for some more shots of the lanterns: http://www.flickr.com/photos/annarborcom/sets/72157626062986964/

Adam's Teeth

Yesterday morning as we were getting ready for church Adam walks into the kitchen and smiles at me. I think it's hysterical so run him into the red room where Josie, Joshua, Isaac, and Jacob are watch something on the computer. I say, "You guys have got to see this." I put Adam in front of them and say, "Smile, Adam!"


He gives them a great big smile, but we only get a few good natured laughs. They clearly don't understand how funny this is. I tell Adam to smile again, but this time the kids don't even look up from the computer.


These false teeth are marvelous! You out-did yourself this time, Adam.

Nice job!