Utah to Hawaii

What We Left Behind

D-Man's first ever airplane ride.

Anushka was already a seasoned traveler.

Delayed in LAX.  These newfangled kids have it so much easier! The girls were killing time by watching Harry Potter.

Finally arrived at Lihue Airport.  Kids were a little wired after the long travel day...

The weather was a bit different where we arrived.

Anushka and her bestie - cousin Anna

These waves look nice right?

Not so much.  One of those nice waves smashed me down onto the ocean floor.  I seriously thought I might have broken my cheek bone and was grateful I didn't snap my neck.

Funniest moment so far: my nephew caught a fish in his pants - literally. Something was wiggling around in his swimsuit when we were in the ocean and it turned out to be a live fish!

Another Week in Northern Cal

I think this might be a sign that we visit San Jose a lot:The hotel where we normally stay has a breakfast in the mornings and they have some fantastic, kind people working there. My favorite is Sal - he's an older Hispanic guy who is SO sweet to my kids even when they are a bit rambunctious. He saw me in the lobby the first day we were there and greeted me like an old friend. He said it was good to see me again and asked where were my husband and kids. Yeah - I think we spend a bit o' time at the Pruneyard Hotel in Campbell, CA. With the kids off track, we like to tag along with BB on his business trips. It was a bit rainy this week but a good time was had by all. Here are a few hi-lights:

On our way in, we detoured through Carson City, Nevada and then up around Lake Tahoe. Helloooo,,,, I had no idea how ridiculously blue and beautiful that lake is! WELL worth the extra drive time (which wasn't that much).

Rain or shine (and we had a little of both this day), the beach is a must!

BB had a co-worker from England who wanted to check out some Redwood trees so we took him to Big Basin State Park

The good news: the San Francisco Exploratorium was free that day.  The bad news: I think all the kids in San Francisco went.

Outside the Exploratorium:

On our way out we detoured again - this time to Yosemite National Park.  We'd like to spend a bit more time there but were not disappointed with what we saw.  This is in front of Bridal Veil Falls.  You can see them in the distance to the right of Anushka's head.

In front of Half Dome

We saw our first snow of the season on the way through the park.

Just crazy beautiful scenery driving through this park

Deep Thoughts in San Francisco

So, we've been in nothern California this week while BB is working and, for some reason, my mind has been in kind of a crazy place.  I blame Dawn.  Watching her (do fabulously - did you see her kill it in the challenge last night?!) on Survivor and fulfill this dream has caused me to reflect a bit.  So, when I was a teen-ager, I had every intention of going to law school, and eventually joining the FBI.  I also wanted to write a book.  Then, I had a church leader that I really really looked up to who told me those goals (the law school/FBI ones, not the book) were huge mistakes and that I would ruin my life.  I (sadly or not) listened.  I have often wondered where life would have taken me if I hadn't heeded that counsel as a teenager.  Here's what I realize about myself now:  I'm kind of a hippie at heart.  I've started many different books - all in various stages of completion.  I wonder if I have the drive to go the distance (I've seen Shannon Hale's roll of rejection letters after all)... I am not a type A personality.   I like chillin', hanging', kickin' back... I really like to get out and play with my kids - they know they can coax me into the hotel swimming pool even in fifty-degree weather.  Here's the strategy used tonight by D-man: "Mom, come in the pool!  Please!  Right now Dad is in the lead but you can pass him if you swim with us!"  Yes, he's six.  In the lead for WHAT? 
But, it would probably be a good thing if I was more motivated to plan what's for dinner most nights and if I could sew a stitch beyond a button.  Anyone who's seen how much I like to sit back with a Mountain Dew can imagine what I'd be without the WoW. 
Is there a point to all this?  Maybe.  Here it is: I look around my life and am inspired by so many incredible people.  I moved into a neighborhood of people that blow me away with their drive, their kindness, the millions of extra miles they go.  I married into a family of incredible, smart, talented people who have integrity coming out of their... well you get my drift.  I met people on my mission that have forever changed my life.  I grew up with some folks that absolutely astound me with the hand they were dealt and what they did with it.  I am NOT exaggerating about that. 
I was placed on planet Earth with a couple of fabulous parents and another couple of great sibs (far better than me).  If it wasn't for my family and faith, I'd probably be sporting dread locks on a beach somewhere doing my best to not work an honest day.  OK - maybe not quite that extreme - BUT - If it wasn't for my family and faith, the people who have made the biggest impact in my life would not even be in my life.  I'm not sorry at this point that I'm a mom and not Scully.  I've been ridiculously blessed.  Back to that point (if it actually is a point).  Sometimes I feel a little burdened by what is required of me by said family and faith; but when I really stop and think, those two elements in my life have brought everything worth anything to my life.  I'm sorry if I've ever griped about having to prepare a Sunday School lesson or attend a family dinner.  Not to say I'll never gripe again.  But just at this moment I'm realizing where I would or wouldn't be without them.

One Amazing Man

Jerry Washburn

If you read Facebook, you've already maybe seen me comment about this but he has been on my mind so much today. This is my mission president. He presided over a few hundred missionaries in Southern California from 1993-96. I have so many memories of time spent listening to him counsel, speak, and teach. He sat with me privately on several occasions and counseled with me and helped me keep things in perspective. He taught with the scriptures - he compared them to our lives and helped us relate them to what we were doing. My scriptures have his name written in them over and over referencing times he spoke. When my cousin was killed in a car accident, he came personally and found me at a meeting I was attending. He was so kind and so compassionate in such a difficult time.
I love this man. I have never met a better person. Ever.
Til we meet again Prez...

Fall is Good

D-Man has developed some serious ball skills over the summer. Now if we can just get him to PASS the ball occasionally, we'll be in business.
If you know me, you know I'm a summer girl through and through. I like it HOT (preferably on a beach somewhere but either way...) But, definitely next in line is FALL. Love soccer season (even when my team is getting it's collective you-know-whats kicked by a bunch of 20-year-olds). Love college football.  Love Halloween.  Love Thanksgiving.  Love the color...

602

Mariano es Numero UNO!

Late Night, End of Summer, Day-Before-Survivor-Premier Ramblings...

I know I turned over a new leaf back in April in which I committed to blog weekly.  It lasted until June.  Yep - I still suck at follow through.  BUT, as I've blog surfed a bit tonight, I realize some people whose names rhyme with "Smastian" haven't blogged since 2008.  I know, they've had a new baby... or two... whatever.
Quite a bit has happened since I last posted.  Some of it life changing.  For real.  But that's not what I'm blogging about, mostly...

TREK

BB and I got the privelege of being 'Ma' and 'Pa' to eight of the most amazing kids we could ever hope for (one of them is not pictured - he got there late).  I concluded that our stake leaders had NO confidence that we could deal with problem kids because they gave us a dream family :)

Last day dirt - that was the best shower EVER...

We got home from Trek and literally dropped our stuff and repacked to leave the next morning for Northern Cal... Again.  Definitely starting to feel like home. D-Man taught some guys on the beach how to really play football

The kids braved 'real' Chinese food in Chinatown and found out it wasn't half bad...

Once we arrived back home, D-man partied with his soccer team

Anushka started sewing lessons. She made this skirt on her first try. It's especially miraculous because it took her mother not one, not two, but TWELVE tries to make a flippin' book cover. No lie.

School started up way too soon (July 25)

Anushka with her buddy Emily on their way to school

D-man with a couple of his good pals Isaac and Sophia...Yep - they're eating doughnuts.

Gotta tell ya, I'm liking the 'burbs.  Growing up downtown, we never had neighborhood 'first-day-of-school-doughnut-breakfasts'... I do remember getting my lunch money stolen from some big kid in the neighborhood.

I love this pic of the parade of kids and parents on their way to the first day. 

We also did a little camping up in the Uintahs with BB's, parents, big sis and her family.  We had a great time hiking Bald Mountain

That's D-man up there in the cowboy hat

Love this state we live in.

They didn't catch anything but found a couple dead ones that made the day exciting

Last time we were here, Anushka was about 18 months old so she wouldn't pose in the hollowed out tree...

GO DAWN!!

(Photo courtesy of NBC's site where I ripped it off)

So the reason 'Survivor' is in my title is because my friend Dawn is a contestant this season.  She was already a rock star in our neck of the woods and now everyone will understand why...  She's smart, energetic, hilarious and you should see her flex those guns (I hope she does it on tv). 

OK good night now...