Can you spell excitement ... WII

We caved - more like I caved - and we got a WII for Christmas, along with just about every game and attachment that a kid (or daddy) could want!  We didn't give it to them Christmas morning, it was a surprise gift they found after having visited all the grandparents during the day.  I think the surprise was a huge success, what do you think?

The initial reaction ...

and some more celebrating ...

and some more ...

my own personal rock band -  I am so out numbered (and in trouble!)

daddy finally getting his turn to rock it!

Flashback Friday

Camie & Emi - Nov 1984

Aren't we adorable! This is me and my cousin Emi in our grandparents front yard. I don't know what is worse about this picture - those shoes, those pants, the shirt tucked in - yikes!  It must have been picture day because I normally never had my hair curled!  What scares me most about this picture is I remember that picture being taken so clearly, like it was yesterday - only I am the same age there as Sydney is today! Time warp, seriously!

Cam the Man

My poor little guy had to get stitches last night!  We were at the High School for the annual Cross-country banquet and Cam was playing with our friends kids out in the foyer.  One of the inner doors in the foyer was missing the glass in the lower half of the door and Cam was running full speed and threw his body into the door to open it and went right through the lower half where the glass was missing!  So off to the Pediatricians we went!  He was so brave at the doctors office - no tears, no whining, nothing!  I am so proud of him for being such a brave little guy!  Here are some pics of his war wound!

Getting numbed up

Three stitches - no tears!

Pearl Harbor

What an amazing day.  The tour starting with a Pearl Harbor survivor welcoming everyone and telling his story - I could have listened to that all day!  I love history, and am drawn to WWII history especially.  I wish I could have spent more time talking to him.  But the Memorial itself was amazing.  I had a lump in my throat all day and couldn't keep back the tears.

The Arizona Memorial is the white building on the right.  The USS Missouri is the ship on the left, it was on this ship that the Japanese surrendered to the United States.

The Shrine Room in the USS Arizona Memorial.

The names of all the sailors and marines who died on the USS Arizona on 7 December 1941.

900 of these men are entombed in the ship. To date, twenty survivors have chosen to be buried with their shipmates upon their deaths.

Gun Turret of the USS Arizona.  One of the few things visible above the water.

There is still oil seeping from the ship.  It is referred to as black tears.

An amazing picture of our flag!

This flagpole is actually connected to the mast of the USS Arizona.

One of the anchors from the USS Arizona that was retrieved after the attack.

Haleiwa - North Shore

By far our favorite place on the island was the North Shore.  It is considered the "country" part of the island.  No big buildings, a slower pace of life, lots of local flavor, massive waves and killer sunsets!

Sea turtle sunny himself on the beach, very cool!  On our last day there we saw 6 sea turtles playing in the surf at Haleiwa Beach.

Andy eating his world famous Matsumoto's shave ice!  It was very yummy but didn't change my life.  You can get it with soft vanilla ice cream and/or Azuki beans in the bottom and sweetened condensed milk on the top.  I did NOT like the beans and wasn't so keen on the sweetened condensed milk but the ice cream was great!  See the line behind Andy, it's like that all day long every day!

More of Hawaii

We spent the entire day in Laie ... we visited the LDS Temple and went to the Polynesian Cultural Center.  The PCC was good, it made for a long day, but we enjoyed it! And of course we can't go anywhere without Andy running into someone he knows! We came around a corner at the PCC and ran right into the McNeil's from our Stake - Andy coached their son Logan in track and cross-country - what a small world!

This picture is for my friend Mrs. Robinson ;) 

(Not a good picture, he has a dorky look on his face - this picture does not do him justice!)

This guy was really funny - he did an amazing fire dance at the show later that night.  During this particular presentation he made a fire with 2 sticks and a coconut husk, opened a coconut with a pebble and his bare hands and made the poor kid in the picture below climb a palm tree! They were both very entertaining and were my favorite presentation of the day!

He pretending he was going to jump to the next palm tree and made jokes about not looking up his skirt.

Me at the Luau that night - I was worn out and ready for food!

Andy at the Luau - he said this about the Luau "the food was very authentic ... maybe a little too authentic!" So true!

Hawaii Day 2 - Evening on the North Shore

Finished the day with some Pineapple ice cream... at the Dole Pineapple plantation.

At the North Shore at sundown...

Andy playing in the water...
Surfers at the North Shore...

Spectacular Sunsets!!!

Hawaii - Day 2

Pictures from along the coastline!!!

Light House and Crazy guy paragliding!

This small patch of beach is where the kissing scene on From Here To Eternity was filmed. It was also in Madonna's music video "Cherish"... Yes I am the queen of useless information!!!

A great shot of Andy getting too close to the dangerous cliffs ... The rock was 15-20 feet above the ocean ... and the water was crashing against the rock making a huge splash!!!

Another picture from the cool rocky lookout...

Hawaii - Day 2 (Morning Hanauma Bay)

This morning we went to Hanauma Bay. Me, the girl, that does not like open water managed to snorkel in the reef. And although I had a few panic attacks, really enjoyed it! Me, the girl that doesn't want fish nibbling on her bum actually swam in the water with the fishes! Some very big fishes!

Here is a view from the beach!

and a view from the top...

Hawaii - Day 1

We woke up to a great view from our room!

A waterfall at the international market near our Hotel.

In front of the water fall at the shopping center... the biggest Koi fish we have ever seen.

Andy and Camie on the beach at Waikiki...

Ty Bud

I may be bias because I'm his mother, but I know that I'm not the only one who thinks this little guy is so dang cute! 

He walked around the house for a few hours telling everyone he was a "pwetty, pwetty, pwencess"!  But a mere few hours later his alter ego came out and he was "fightin' guy"!

Never a dull moment with this little guy!

Halloween - Bah, Humbug!

It's true, I am not a fan of Halloween.  Even when I was little it was my least favorite Holiday - I have always been afraid of the dark (still am), so a holiday all about dark and scary was really not my idea of fun! Combine that with being shy and having to go up to someone's door and ask for candy - I was terrified! I remember being 5 or 6 and I refused to go to Primary teachers house to trick or treat because they had scary music playing!  My poor mom tried her best to convince me that it was fine but I stubbornly stayed on the other side of the street - hugging/hiding behind the neighbors tree while she and my brothers went to my primary teachers house!  And then there was the pumpkin carving - a harmless rite of passage for any little kid, right?! Wrong! Especially when that little girl is a neat freak and can't stand not only the pumpkin guts, but the over all mess of the whole ordeal!  Combine that with the fact that I have 4 brothers who would torture me by touch me with the ooey, gooey, gunk from out of the pumpkin, or practice their knife skills when mom was out of the room!  Yep, I've got issues with Halloween!

So now that I am a mom with kids of my own, what do I do?  I try my best to suck it up and let the kids have fun!  I've even done my share of gutting the pumpkins!  I don't get into the all out Halloween decorations, but I do decorate for fall, so that counts - right?  So while my kids are having a ball running around in the dark, begging for candy, dressed like a gypsie, go-go dancer, Anakin Skywalker and a power ranger I will be the proud momma following behind them - with a death grip on the flashlight!

Sydney & Mya with a few of our pumpkins! We got some at the pumpkin patch and then Grandpa had enough for all the grandkids this year!  Two pumpkins each, aren't we lucky?!

Look! My hand is inside a pumpkin!  Gross!

Our creations (from top to bottom) 

Syd - black widow

Mya - flower

Cam - Scarecrow

Ty - the original pumpkin face!

Watch out world!

Have you seriously ever seen 3 cuter girls anywhere?  These three are not just good friends, but such good girls!  They will definitely be ones to watch in the years to come.  And don't let the blue eyes, beautiful smiles and sweet faces fool you - they are all fierce competitors on the soccer field!  I LOVE to watch them out on the soccer field - Carlie can out run (and run down) anyone in the league, even if they have a head start! Kenz has the best left foot not only in our league but I would say of any girl under 14! And Syd is the fake out queen, don't mess with her when she is going for the goal cuz you will be going right and she is gone to the left before you can blink!  We have so much fun with these girls on and off the soccer field, how lucky are we to have them in our lives! ;) 

Mya's Baptism

Our sweet little Mya Shea was baptized on Saturday.  What a wonderful event in a very crazy day!  We are so proud of our little "bubba" and the wonderful young lady she is becoming!  I love that she wants to be so grown up and have responsibilities but still wants to sit on my lap and snuggle with me all the time!  Congratulations Mya, we love you so much!

Funeral Services

The funeral for Christian Adams will be on Friday, October 3rd at 11:00am.  Services will be conducted at the Timpview Stake Center located at 1050 North 600 West in Orem.  It is my understanding that there is a viewing on Thursday night, I was told it will also be at the Stake Center beginning at 6:00pm.  I will update with any new info I may receive.

Passing of a friend

I got that phone call this morning that no one wants to receive, news that someone you know has passed away.  My friend Chris Adams passed away unexpectedly yesterday from a heart attack while away from his family on a business trip to Los Angeles. He leaves behind his wife and 2 small daughters.  

I first meet Chris during junior high school when his family moved into the area.  I can honestly say that I do not have a single memory of Chris where he isn't smiling, laughing and having fun.  He was just that kind of person, always upbeat and positive and you just wanted to be near him and couldn't help but be happy when you were! 

What makes this even more heart breaking is that Chris' younger brother Joe passed away about 7 years ago. Joe was a police officer for Lehi City and was killed in the line of duty.  Chris and Joe are the oldest children and have 3 younger brothers.  My family was closely touched by the death of Joe as my younger brother Adam and Joe were brother in laws (married to sisters) and Adam adored Joe.  To share that heartache with the Adams family was almost unbearable, to have to witness them go through it all again is almost too much to ask.  

I know that the time we have on this earth is only temporary, and that the time we have in the next life will go on for eternity.  I am so grateful at a time like this for my testimony in the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know that He lived and was crucified for me so that I may one day return to live in Celestial Glory with Him.  That my family will continue on together in eternity and that the passing from this life to the next is not the end but the beginning.  My heart and prayers go out to the Adams family and their relatives and friends at this time, please join me in wishing them the best during this difficult time.

Christian Adams

Mya Shea

Mya Shea

Sept 19, 2000

5 lbs 15 oz

18 1/2 inches

I can hardly believe that my little "bubba" is now eight years old!  She came into this world under less than perfect circumstances but has been a fighter since the get go!  She may be petite in stature, but she was a strong will and fierce personality!  We love you bubba!

Jinxed or Smote?

I'm really not all that uncoordinated, I'm actually quite athletic and quick on my feet - at least usually I am, just not this morning.  But in my defense I was either jinxed or smote, I just don't know which!  Here is the story, you decide ...

I was out on a lovely early morning run (think 5:45 am and in the dark) with some of my nearest and dearest friends.  The run was uneventful until we reached our turn around point and decided to head back ... we turned onto the canal road just off of 800 North and began our run home.  At this point on the canal it is not the nice packed gravel or smooth dirt we run on in the North Orem/Lindon/PG sections, but rough and rocky.  My dear friend Becca commented to me "the one time I fell while running was on this part of the canal".  "Hmm" I thought to myself, "it is kind of uneven and rocky" but let the thought slip from my mind when a question was posed from Laurie who was running behind me  - "did anyone go to Regional Conference?".  Everyone shook their heads no ... to which I chuckled to myself and thought "good, I'll have friends with me in h*ll".  I slightly turned my head so all could hear as I said "oh good, we're all heathens", then BAM - down I went!  So, was I jinxed by my good friend Becca? Or smote for my unrighteous example?  Hmm ...  Here are a few pics of my ouchie knee (sorry Becca, I forgot to take the pic when the blood was running down my leg ;)

Mainly just skinned on the bottom part, but the top is a nice gash that created a little pocket in my skin that Andy dug dirt and rocks out of for me - isn't he sweet?  He patched me all up, I'm a lucky girl! ;)  I also took a chunk of skin out of my pinky finger on my left hand - that was a little hard to stomach, way gross looking!   

This picture is for Andy, he likes it better because you can see more of my leg! ;)