Balloon Fun

After a long Saturday night, we all woke up too late for church and consequently spent the whole day at home. Besides sleeping & eating, this is how Lole and her dad spent the better part of their day...playing with balloons! (Lole made daddy's hat, and he made hers...too cool!)

Paina in Waianae

One of Bo's co-workers invited us to his grandson's 1st birthday party this past Saturday in Waianae. I don't really get out of Laie much (let alone the other side of the island) but we made the 2 hour drive in the haze/rain to sing Happy Birthday and show support.

Lil Jaymes Toetu'u-Aipia

(L to R)
Bill Manumu'a, Loti Toetu'u (youngest grandpa ever, 33 0r 4), and Bo

Lole and Tiare (1 of Loti's 7 kids)

The weather was assumed to be really rainy that day, but we were pleased it was merely...well, MUDDY. lol. There was a jumper and face-painter for the kids, and for the adults (and under-agers), a live band, awesome pupus, a mix of tongan/hawaiian/filipino food, and beer for days. Not my kind of party, but 9 hours away from Laie, even Waianae, was good for me. Plus, 1st Birthdays are always worth celebrating!

Bishop Museum School Field Trip

Our experience at Bishop Museum today was shorter than the drive to and from Honolulu, but the kids were in need of some excitement for the week. The highlight was a new exhibit called "MEGALODON" which is like the dinosaur "mother" of all sharks. I think they grew up to 23 feet, and ate...WHATEVER they wanted to, including whales. Amazing.

Besides the shark exhibit, the kids put on costumes, played on the large snail, and tried to see what was so fun about the 3-D Hawaii maps.

Overall...OVERRATED, but it was a ticket out of Laie for a few hours.

Lole and Cousins

How cute is this booth picture? I found it in my daughter's purse the other day while we were cleaning. It was taken one day when my sis took the kids (her 3 + Lole) to the mall, where they played mini golf, ate at Pandas, and cruised around for the whole afternoon...giving me some good reading/tv/alone time. (Yah, it's normally a vertical strip of pics, but I tweaked it to make more room.) Ahhh, I love these guys!

KIHE KAHA=FOREVER STRONG

Last night we made a special trip to PCC to eat dinner at Ambassadors and watch the free showing of "Forever Strong." After crab legs, mac-nut crusted chicken, prime rib, taro rolls, and a few deserts (I won't say how many), we were shocked to find the movie line already formed outside the IMAX theater. Though the theater maxes out at 600, there were still many outside who didn't get to come in. The film's Exec Dir Brad Pelo (also of "Legend of Johnny Lingo") gave a brief intro before it started and shook people's hands after the crowd's applause at the end. It's a feel-good, coming of age type story, highlighting the nation's winningest high school rugby team out of Highland, UT of all places. (Record: 391 wins, 9 losses and 17 national championships...AMAZING!) Funny, corny, sad,...it's all of those things, but meaningful as well. Oh, and they do the HAKA too, which I don't care if it's done by white boyz or polyz, it still gives me goosebumps.

"BELLA's LULLABY" -- or at least it should be

My niece introduced me to this song today. It's called "River Flows In You" by Yiruma, and somehow, it was rumored to be the official "Bella's Lullaby"--but it's NOT and I have to agree with so many others that maybe it should be. It's so beautiful. Enjoy!

PROP 8 Protestors Target LDS Temple

Ahh, I thought all this PROP 8 drama would be over with since it passed in California. Apparently NOT. Check out this article from the LA TIMES.

And this video.

Halloween Fun

Gosh we had too much fun this week! Lole got to wear her VAMPIRE costume 4 different times (twice in one day) so towards the end she was like "Mommy, I have to wear my costume...AGAIN!"

At my ward party (H3) the kids got to play games, eat cotton candy/chili and rice, and go through a Haunted tunnel. Lole won "Most Scariest" for her age division (0-3) at the costume contest!












At our school trunk-or-treat, a police officer talked to us about safety and he let the kids come and play in the cop car. They got lots of cool treats AND yummy pizza and salad!



Here's their favorite teacher, Aunty Dina







My sis (far left) and I were "Da Sistahz" (like da braddahz) for our school party. I was so comfy in my FOB attire so maybe I should've been something less true-to-self this Halloween. Here we are pictured with Kura Tovey.






At my sister's ward party (K2), Lole had fun playing Pumpkin Mini Golf,
decorating cupcakes and of course, trunk-or-treating with her favorite cousins. They also had the bomb chili & beef stew!






By Halloween night, we were so "treated"-out that we only walked around Laie for an hour. She ran into her Tonga cousins and a few other friends along the way. It was the only time Daddy got to come with her so she was super stoked about that too.

It was such a blast watching her have so much fun getting dressed, putting on makeup, and seeing her all giddy about getting a little lollipop. Treats are fun, but the experience was even better this year. HERE'S TO HALLOWEEN!!!