Senior Prom

Trevor goes to Prom!!
It was a beautiful day and all was well in Prom Land!
Trevor, at the last minute got himself a darling date.
Although I was not able to take photos, Trevor took his Dad's camera and came out with a few good shots.
Shayla Matson from the Omaha Papillion Stake and Trevor went to Millard North Prom together...well for most of Prom anyway.
Many of the kids went in groups and all met up at the nights activities. First was a barbecue for the kids at Tim's. Only $5 bucks a kid for steak and all the fixins! Bargain and lots of fun. Then off to Prom, after Prom and then to the grocery store for flowers...for their Mom's for Mothers Day!
Sounds like a FUN night for all...

Some of the boys and the lucky two girls!

Seminary Graduation!

There are many things to be proud of when you have kids.  My kids are exceptionally talented, expressive, outgoing etc...I could go on, but you get the non-biased picture.

There are few things I am more proud of about my two children than their miraculous graduation from early morning Seminary!

I taught early morning Seminary for 2 1/2 years and remember how difficult it was to hit the alarm clock at 5:10am, shower, put on nylons (in my case) and climb into my vehicle. Wow, does that car thermometer really say 10 degrees?!

Well, Sunday night I "tearily" watched Trevor walk across the Papillion Stake Center stage to accept his Seminary Graduation packet (no certificate yet...they still have 3 weeks of official Seminary left). 

What an amazing accomplishment for these youth to have studied the Scriptures for four years. These amazing kids studied The Holy Bible (Old and New Testament's) The Doctrine and Covenants and The Book of Mormon. One book each year, what a loving testament to their spiritual education!

Trevor has had amazing Seminary teachers...pictured above is last years teacher Brother Shane Walker and to Trevor's left, Sister Sarah Partridge. Trevor loves both these spiritual giants, their examples to these kids has been a priceless experience. Trevor has learned the Gospel in action each morning from these instructors examples. We are eternally grateful for their sacrifice on our behalf! Thank you Brother Walker and Sister P!

You might notice Trevor was the only guy in his class...cute huh!

Yahhh Trevor! Great job following in your sisters footsteps!

I Want This....

I drove this Toyota fj cruiser today and I want one! It is cute, sporty, fun to drive, cute and I look cute in it! Cute all round!

Why would my husband say NO, I ask?
Because he thinks it's too complicated for me, to many knobs that have something to do with off roading??

I think it's perfect when a car tells you how many tires are on the road. Perk~!

I Want One!

Zipping through Kauai

March 12th started out, as usual with an amazing breakfast! We went to Kountry Kitchen on the East Shore. Of course they received an ONO from our blue guidebook! We waited 40 minutes but it was so worth it! The special...french toast, dipped in pancake batter stuffed with cream cheese and pineapple! Yum Next we drove to Kilauea Light Station! It was kinda cold and rainy but worth the sites! The Kilauea Lighthouse is a postcard-perfect landmark perched on a bluff and represents the northernmost point of the main Hawaiian Islands. When it was built in 1913, it had the largest clamshell lens in existence and was used until the mid 70's when it was replaced by a beacon. Directly offshore is Miku'ae'ae Island, a bird sanctuary. We looked for whales but none to be found on the North Shore! After our sight seeing we were registered for a zip line trip! We zipped with Princeville Ranch Adventures for 5 hours of FUN. We were all nervous at first, but we had great guides who were funny, well trained and cute! Tyler jumped up first for the trial run...Go Tyler!

We zipped 8 lines, the longest was 750 feet. We also had the opportunity to swim in their swimming hole which was so cold~but really when would we ever have the chance to do THIS again! So in we went. We all jumped of the little fall (nothing like the day before) and enjoyed the thrill of swimming in a pool in Hawaii!

Swimming include lunch, sandwiches and a hike back to the top for the last zip! We had so much fun overcoming our fear of heights well, and falls too! A great day that left us all exhausted!

That night we had BBQ at Scotty's! So good, we all shared BBQ platters and watched for whales...still none on the North Shore!

Scotty at Scottys!

This was a great day we all went home wet cold and BRAVE! Thanks family for such a chance of a lifetime day! And Mindy...cute hoodie! And I did not mention the Lighthouse tree photo!

Third day...Hawaiian style!

On our THIRD day in Kauai we ALL got up early. I think one of my most memorable moments in Paradise has no picture. The morning of March 11th my husband got up at 6am (11am OT) to walk along the beach with me! While the rest of the family worked out in the gym or to run the resort, Scott and I headed up the road along the beach. We walked one direction then I ran back...really I doubled my run cuz I would run back for Scott when I got too far ahead. We then headed to the lava rocks next to the ocean and scoured for sea cucumbers till a big wave headed for us and well, each to his own...I got a total head swat as Scott swung around to run for the road! Nice...so much for our romantic beach run! Hit and wet is how I went home!

We had breakfast at the Sheraton again...who could get tired of the best breakfast buffet on the Island? Then went for a walk around our resort...we checked out the hammocks, and pools at our disposal and took some photo ops!

Then it was back to Po'ipu Beach to show Tyler and Valerie what all the blisters and bruises were about...catchin the waves on the boogie boards! We had a BLAST out on the waves. Watching for that next big one, we saw it...a HUGE SEA TURTLE further out to sea, but it's head was so large! We wished we had our snorkeling gear so we could swim with it!

We grabbed lunch at a grill in the Po'ipu Shopping Village called Po'ipu Tropical Burgers we were looking for some yummy fish and chips but found none...the food was yuck and the service, worse :(

Our next target of fun was a well know waterfall with a swing from a tree that would make our hearts drop. Located off Kipu Road was a glorious little hidden place we found enchanting. This waterfall called Kipu Falls pours into a deep pool, which was ringed half-way by a 20-foot cliff. On the far side was a rope swing with a ladder leading up the side of the cliff. You have to climb out of the pond via the thick tree roots.
We found the waterfall after a short hike through a former sugar cane field.

We all had our suits on and we were ready to jump, then we got to the top of the waterfall...we all looked down and said NO WAY. We took pictures and dipped our toes in the stream above the falls and thought 'Oh,how beautiful'.

Just then four boys, teens about Trevor's age showed up, then 'skipped' across the top of the falls while stripping off their shirts, shoes, tossing their towels and headed for the top of the falls, then they JUMPED over the falls into the pool. Next they climbed the ladder and swung over the cliff edge, back into the pool.
I looked at my family and said "I'M DOING IT"!
My husband says, "OH, NO YOUR NOT, our children still need their mother!"
I hand my camera to my sister and say "DO NOT MISS THIS SHOT"!
The four boys give me hand signals and hints...where to stand, how to jump OUT far, where to land etc
I head for the little ledge the boys had used to jump off and count to three...

I was the first fool in! It was GREAT! I was so proud of myself!

Huston heads across the top of the falls to the rope swing and is the first one off the swing!
My husband looks at Valerie and says "I will never live this down if I don't jump"!
Scott jumps next, and I head to the rope swing! The boys and Huston show me how to hold onto the rope...as I'm talking to the boys I ask them how often they have been coming to Kipu Falls, they say "not long, we from Brazil".
I'm like WHAT! I would have NEVER jumped if I had known these boys were from Brazil! I thought surely they came to the falls all the time...maybe even helped hang the rope or something... Brazil, really, WHAT!!
Finally, Valerie jumped too, she took a hard hit! EWWEEWW I think that's what we said when she 'landed'! Let's just say there was bruising!
I'm first in! But the photo of me jumping is soooo unflattering! But Mindy did get the shot!

That night we went for dinner at the very famous Brick Oven Pizza! I think this was Tyler's favorite meal. We ordered the Hawaiian Pizza, imagine that, chicken, pineapple and Canadian Bacon...so delicious!

On our way out of the Brick Oven we spotted a local...a huge centipede! Must have been about 6-7 inches, or half Hustons foot! Yep, they bite!

We came to the end of another long, busy, and exciting day on our vacation. This night was pretty special besides the fact that we were engaging in such original experiences, we still needed the familiar comfort of prayer. On night three Tyler was feeling especially sore. He didn't make it to the waterfall with us. That night he asked Huston and Scott for a blessing of comfort, Tyler needed peace and strength and he knew where to find it. A blessing was given and strength was found. This too was an amazing experience and we were grateful for the power of prayer.

On day four we zip and swim through our fears OVER the Island of Kauai!

Our Second Day in Paradise...Kauaii

Our second day started out with the most amazing breakfast at the Sheraton Resort restaurant. The breakfast buffet was sooo yummy and had all the fixins! The photo below is the table that is shown in our blue book showing the view of a lifetime while eating banana pancakes with coconut syrup.Later that morning we took a drive to try and find the water ski outfitter. Scott thought it would be classic to water ski in Hawaii...we drove till we found this...
Opaeka'a Falls in Wailaua! This landmark is a 151 foot falls that flows year round. Located on Kuamo'o Road this area receives 428 in. of rain per year!
Mindy tried to kiss one of the locals...those rooster are EVERYWHERE!
We also checked out the Wailua River lookout where we saw kayakers out for a day of paddling.
No luck on the water skiing... so we headed back to the south shore to rent our gear for the week. At Nukumoi Surf Co. we loaded up with snorkeling gear, boogie boards and rash guard shirts! We then spent some time snorkeling at Poi'pu Beach. We saw some pretty amazing fish around the sand bars. We then went for lunch at Brennecke Deli where Scott and Huston raved about the chili and rice. Mindy and I stayed away from the spice and starch and went more bland...sandwich and salad.On Kauaii you will find the most annoying creatures surfing the roads, grass and hotel lanai's. They are the native Roosters! These birds proliferated since the Hurricane 'Iniki' freed so many back in 1992. They are soooo dumb and turn up everywhere, we saw our first at the airport!
We were excited to pick up Tyler and Valerie, they were coming in on the same flight Mindy and Huston came in on the day before...Tyler had not been feeling well prior to our trip to Kauai, we were so glad he was able to board that plan for 10 or so hours and land relatively well.
That night we were ready for dinner. Tidepools at the Marriott was the best meal I've ever had! It was BEAUTIFUL! We had the most delicious meals. I ordered Mahi Mahi on a bed of mashed potatoes topped with huge grilled shrimp smothered in a cream sauce with papaya drops. Our waiter Les made the night perfect, he was funny, thoughtful and well paid! Our bill alone was $150...WOW, but so worth it!Well, again we talked of staying up late walking the beach and sittin in the hot tub...but by 9pm (2am Omaha time, that's what we kept saying) we were OUT!
It had been a memorable day, one I will treasure as I think of my brother walking out of that airport and climbing gingerly into the car rental. That moment reminded me of why we fast and pray for health and safety on occasions such as these.

Stay tuned for March 11th when we boogie board again and I jump off a Waterfall!

Our First Day in Kauai

We stayed in POIPU....

We left Omaha at 6am on Monday, March 9th and arrived in Kauai at 2:30pm! How did that happen...only 8 hours?? Well, there is a FIVE hour time difference between Omaha and Kauai, so we flew from Omaha to Phoenix Az, which took about 3 hours, had a 2 1/2 layover in Phoenix then an EIGHT hour flight to Kauai. Which meant we arrived at 2:30pm...perfect for a little sight seeing before meeting up with my sister Mindy and her husband Huston.

We picked up our 'ride' cuz that's how my hubby 'rolls'...an H3, which I found to be very small and confining, but the hubby loved!

Then we headed to the Sheraton Resort and Hotel which was post card perfect, with it's own beach (Po'ipu Beach) on the South Shore off Hoonani Road. We used the beach facilities, exercise room, bought gifts at the two gift shops, and LOVED the breakfast buffet..which we got free if we choose not to have our room cleaned...

At 4:30pm my sister Mindy and her husband Huston arrived from Utah, I was so excited to see them, I ran to the registration building to find them...guess what they were 'rollin in', a black Navigator...not the mini-van we agreed on...Mindy said she just couldn't do it, ride around Kauai in a minimormonmom van (not her words, a word I just made up, cute huh).NICE!

We checked out the area, our adjoining rooms, wore our purple Lia's, and unpacked...we were GIDDY! That night we ate dinner at Keoki's Paradise I loved the ambiance (and having my family as surroundings) plants everywhere, a large fish lagoon, waterfalls and thatched roof! Located in the Po'ipu Shopping Village in Po'ipu, just up the street from our resort this restaurant got an 'ONO' from our blue bible The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook which means it stands out from the others in some way. We had Fish and Chips...yummm, somehow fish in Hawaii just taste amazing!

After dinner we were ALL EXHAUSTED! We had visions of Phase 10 by the pool, walks on the beach in skirts ;) and sunsets, but none of that was as enticing as those Sheraton Resort beds!

We were out by 9pm...which was really 2am!

Next...our day boogie boarding and Tyler and Valerie arrive from Oklahoma...stay tuned