a bad week for latu teeth

What is it with teeth this week? In the beginning of the week, Wayne broke one of his teeth and will have to replace it. Five days later, Kina fell and chipped her front tooth. So, let's see. . .

1 adult tooth for Wayne
+ 1/2 a baby tooth for Kina
= BIG BILL FOR LATUS

Sheesh!

called to serve!

Sili is going on a mission!!! We are so sooo excited for her. We gathered late Wednesday night so she could open her call and she is going to the . . .

INDIANA INDIANAPOLIS MISSION!!!

My camera ran out of battery after I took this picture of Sili jumping up and down reading her call, so I don't have any other pics to post, but I think this one says it all. She is super pumped to go and serve the Lord and she is going to be one AWESOME missionary!!!

CONGRATULATIONS SILI!!

thankful friday - LATU FAMILY

So, it's supposed to be "thankful THURSDAY", but I had a busy day yesterday and didn't make it to blogging, soooo here we are today:)

This week (and for the last four years) I am very thankful for my in-laws, the Latu Family. I still remember when I first heard about the Latu's. In 2005, I came down for a semester at BYU and my very first night in Utah my cousin told me about the Latu family (. . . AND she tried to set me up with Wayne, but we'll talk about THAT later). She told me about an amazing Tongan family of talented musicians and scholars, but the coolest thing about them was they were also totally friendly, fun and sweet. The thing that caught my attention was the fact that there were 7 GIRLS and only one boy - I'd never seen a family like that! I immediately wanted to meet them. My second day in Utah, I got hired at the Student Honor's Association. I think I only got hired because the director is my moms friend, but that job literally changed my life ( . . . it's where I met Wayne!). I didn't know it when I got the job, but the Latu family had all either worked there or was working there - and that is how I first met and became friends with the Latu's! I liked them immediately. I was initially impressed with their beauty - they are all GORGEOUS! - but the thing even more impressive about them is their beauty on the inside. I observed as they served, befriended, included and loved so many people in need. It really was, and now is, inspiring to watch. They are such great examples of Christ.

Fast forward a few years to the present time and this family still doesn't cease to amaze me. Over the years, they have been there to help and support in every big event in our marriage - including our wedding, moving (four times), baby births, parties etc. Malia and Kina LOVE their aunties (Malia greets each of them by name whenever she's sees any of them) and they are absolute BLESSINGS in my life. They have this funny way of making it seem like I'm doing them a favor by letting them watch the girls. I so appreciate their love for Malia and Kina and their ever willingness to sacrifice their time in helping me. I love my sisters! I know I'm very blessed and lucky.

My parents-in-law are also especially awesome. Malia and Kina LOVE them. My father-in-law spends his only day off in the week with his granddaughters. Every Friday he plans an activity for them to do and does it with them. I feel the girls get so many rich experiences that they wouldn't otherwise get because of him. My mother-in-law is always available and excited to see her grand-kids. She takes joy in cooking for them, playing with them and just being with them. I know anytime they are at her house they will always come home fed and happy - it's such a comfort as a mother. I love to see my girls interact with their Papa and their Gramma and am so grateful to have such a strong support system. They also do that funny thing and make it seem like I've done them a wonderful favor because I let them watch the girls. Oh, the pampered life I live, huh. :)

Okay, I've written more than I was planning to, but I still haven't scratched the surface in describing all ways the Latu family has blessed my life. I'm so grateful to have married into such a great family. So . . . Dad, Kalo, Leo, Melba, Kina, Nia, Sili, Kika, Vai and Ti - Thank you! I love you all soooo much.

happy birthday wayne!!

Today is Wayne's birthday! Yup, the big 2 - 6. In honor of his completion of 26 years of life, I will write 26 things I love about my husband (I guess I'll have to narrow it down ha ha). In no particular order, I love Wayne because . . .

1. He loves me!
   
2. He's Tongan but raised in the mainland. I feel like we have a lot in common.
3. He plays the piano beautifully - love to hear him play
   
4. He is the only boy in his family and is close to his sisters.
5. He makes me laugh
6. He expresses his love everywhere, all the time no matter what. No shame (. . . I got a lot of embarrassing stories about this one, but, uh, . . . just take my word for it)
   
7. He's good at every sport he tries
   
8. When he enters a room, he brings in an energy with him - I call it waynergy! lol.
   
9. We can communicate in our "secret" language - Spanish (ha ha too bad everyone in Utah speaks it too!)
   
10. He's an AWESOME daddy and Malia and Kina ADoRE him
    
11. He's smart - at hard things like Chemistry
    
12. He puts up with all my mood swings, explosions, melt downs and faults. God bless him.
13. He's superbuff - just last week he benched 400 LBS for the first time ever! I don't really know what that means, but I'm still very proud ha ha
    
14. If he's home, he always gets up first in the morning to get the girls their breakfast, just so I can sleep a little longer.
15. He's a returned missionary and an eagle scout woot! woot!
    
16. He's a leader
17. He has goals and the potential to fulfill every one of them. I believe in him.
    
18. He's serviceable - I remember before we had kids he would take me to this nursing home every week where he played piano for the old people - I thought it was so cute.
    
19. He's handsome and always looks clean cut
20. He'll eat my cooking and say, "It's delicious!" even when I know it's not.
21. He knows when I've had a bad day and will try to make things better. . .even when he's had an even harder day.
22. Even when I look like a train wreck, he thinks I'm beautiful (or at least he makes me believe that he does ha ha)
23. Whenever we fight he's usually the first to say sorry
    
24. He doesn't spend money on clothes, cologne or shoes etc. (just on sushi he he)
25. He expresses his appreciation freely and often And lastly and most important. . .
    
26. He has a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ

I love Wayne! Sure, we've had our ups and downs and will probably have a lot more of them, but we love each other and that will never change. I'm so grateful we found each other - I really feel he is the mate of my SOUL. he he. I'm excited to share many more birthdays together. Happy birthday honey!!

a great day for a rugby game

Actually, it really wasn't a great day for a rugby game - it was FREEEEZING!! When I left the house I almost didn't wear a long sleeved shirt because I was so hot, but as soon as we got to the field the temperature dropped. It dropped so much, in fact, that Tali and Shan were too weak to tough it out and left soon after it started ha ha. We were all there to watch Wayne. He ran with the Provo Steelers and made a try AND they won the game!! Unfortunately, I still don't understand rugby completely, but I still cheered very loud whenever he got the ball. It was a great day for a rugby game!



I had to add this one. Malia's face is cracking me up!! lol

the happiest place on earth . . . or at least in utah

On Friday, we went with Papa to the Children's Museum in SLC. Seriously, this place is AMAZING - the girls had SO much fun. The main part is a mini town for kids to play in. There's a house, a construction site, a grocery store, and a farm. . . among other things. Everything is kid size and you can play with it all. Malia was in HEAVEN . . . and the whole time I had to fight the urge to take her from what she was doing to go see and play with something else - there were just so many cool things to do!!


Malia played in this kitchen forever. She baked bread, washed dishes and went back and forth from the table to the fridge - totally in her own little world the whole time.

This was Kina's favorite thing - the water works. Nope, she didn't wear the water-proof aprons and yup, she got SOAKED! ha ha

After eating everything in the kitchen, Malia went to the grocery store to restock the fridge, I guess. ha ha. She even got to be her own checker.

Kina loved her teeter-totter and they BOTH loved the one person police car. . . at the same time.

On the roof, they had a life flight helicopter complete with moving parts and sound effects. The last time we were in a helicopter like this was when I was in labor with Kina! Memories!! Goodness, we've come a long way!

I can't say enough about this place. If you have kids you HAVE to go. It is so much fun. Only thing is it's slightly expensive - $8.50 a person including kids 2 and up - but if you spend a whole day there I think it's worth it. We could only tear Malia away when she got too hungry to play anymore. After several hours she finally came up to me and said, "Hot dog, mommy?" ha ha. Definitely the happiest place in Utah!

thaaaaaaaanks tiare

Last Sunday, we went to visit my Aunty Ireen and cousin, Tiare. While the adults were talking, Malia and Kina played around us with some toys they found. Soon, she came to me and said, "Mommy LOOK!" I looked down and gasped - A DEAD FROG WAS IN MY LaP! . . . and worse - IT WAS MADE INTO A PURSE!! Ewww! Oh my goodness. I guess it was a gift someone got Tiare from the Philipines - it was so gross - like, a real frog . . . made into a PURSE! Anyway, Malia carried it around the whole time we were there and when we were getting ready to leave Tiare INSISTED we take it home. I was like, "No. No, that's alright. Pleeeease no." but as you can see, I lost the battle. Malia now takes her little dead frog purse around everywhere she goes. Wow Tiare. Thanks a LOT!!! lol

thankful thursday - MY FAMILY!

Since Thanksgiving is in a few weeks, I thought I'd express thanks throughout the month on Thursdays. I should do it all year long and now is as good a time as any to start! This week I want to express my gratitude for my family!

My parents are some of the most generous, kind people I know. Everyone knows our house in Laie is ALWAYS open to a hungry student or visiting friend (probably cause my mom still shops at Costco even though only she and my dad are there now. ha ha). I respect my Dad so much for his talent and wisdom and my mom love my mom for being so caring . . . she's just very "momish". . . I love that. My brother Joseph is smart and helpful with English homework assignments. My sister Tali is super talented and always willing to help with a project I need assistance with. I swear if I had a dime for every blanket, dress or costume she has made for someone else I would be a rich woman. David is the handyman in our family (he takes after my dad). He builds, creates and fixes anything and everything - veeeeery handy. And Michael is our baby - he can pretty much do no wrong in our eyes ha ha. He is respectful, friendly and sweet . , , and sometimes forgetful (I got the gas mileage to prove it - I swear EVERY day when he was in high school I was taking a forgotten bag, shoe or assignment to school for him ha ha). Ah! I could fill up my whole blog with memories and funny stories, but I'll spare you and save it for them later. :)

I love my family dearly. I think I take them for granted sometimes and sometimes focus more on some differences we may have instead of our similarities. I don't want to do that anymore. I want to love them unconditionally because really, I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family. I'm grateful for the good they are able to see in me and for the examples they are to me. I'm grateful for the fun we have when we're together. I'm grateful for my family!!

happy halloween!

Halloween is so much more fun for me with kids! Probably just because I get to see an old holiday through brand new eyes. Malia's favorite words this month were "pumpkin", "scary?" and "halloweeeen". She got very good at spotting jack-o-lanterns on porches while driving in the car and asking for candy everywhere we went (probably cause for the first time in her life she knew she would always get some).

When people asked, "What are the girls gonna be for Halloween?" I would just kinda shrug my shoulders. My mom had sent a box of random different costumes she had bought cheap in Hawaii, so I just chose from those. It was easy and I loved not spending money. Next year, I'm gonna really try to go the hard route to be super creative and actually think of something for them to BE. Woohoo. It was a week long celebration of Halloween!

On Monday, we had a Halloween themed FHE at the Hafokas. . . Okay, now that I think about it, it was actually just a normal FHE with the kids wearing costumes. ha ha.
(Line and Spencer, Candice and Kaylene, me and Kina, Mata and Malia)

On Wednesday, we went to story-time at the library. The theme this week was Halloween and all the kids came dressed up. At the end, they gave out masks instead of coloring pages like they usually do. Malia was excited to have Tali and Inoke there with us!

On Thursday, we went to the BYU Spooktacular. This was definitely the LEAST fun thing we did this week - too crowded, too hot, and no organization. The girls went as sheep (you know, Mary's little lambs? - ha ha I thought it was cute), but it was too hot to wear them long. I don't think we'll be going back next year.

This is a little bday party we went to (Adalie is the mermaid and birthday girl). Kina was a tortoise and Malia was a hare. I crack myself up. lol


On Halloween day, Malia took a late nap so we MISSED our wards trunk-or-treat (we are STILL bummed!), but we made it to the mall for some trick-or-treating fun. We met up with Saia, Line and Spencer and Ula and Tupu. The kids were tired about half way through, but the adults still had blast.


Afterwards, we went to the Uyemas halloween party. There was lots of food and games for the kids. Aaand the best couple costume of the day award went to. . . CRYSTAL AND SPENCER! LOL! Ah, You guys crack me up!

It was so fun to see Malia actually "get it" this year. She loved dressing up, seeing other kids' costumes and saying "trick-or-treat" for candy. We can't wait till next year. Hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween!