christmas haps

Considering that today I put away the very last of our Christmas decorations (STILL can't find baby Jesus from the nativity . . . ) I thought I'd better post already about our holiday and how we spent it. 

We had a few nights of cookie making.  It all started when my sweet neighbor brought over some gingerbread cookie dough.  We started making them immediately and it was such a hit we did sugar cookies the next two nights (since I'm not too good at making gingerbread).  The girls LOVED it and got pretty good at spreading the frosting and pouring on the sprinkles.

Since our ward canceled it's Christmas party, we sidebusted on our old ward Orem 8.  There was awesome food, mediocre entertainment and fun company.  Considering the packed house in years past, we couldn't believe how small it was this year - not that we were complaining, though - it was quite nice having room to sit and spread out.

For the first time since we got married, we went to see the Christmas lights at Temple Square. It was beautiful but very cold.  The girls stayed toasty, though, in their new snow suits from Gramma Peggy.  I LOVE them!  Thank you GRAMMA!! The highlight for the girls was definitely the horse carriage ride that Papa took them on. They actually SQUEALED with delight when it started. They spent the ride standing on the seat and chatting with our cute driver the whole time.  They loved it.

We got to catch up with my extended family at the annual Alisa/Toelupe Christmas party.  As is tradition we had a yummy potluck, a talent show and a white elephant gift exchange.  The highlights of the night for me were the koko rice, laughing with my cousins Ni'i and Tiare and seeing everybody.  

On Christmas Eve, we got together with Wayne's family and cousins for a party.  I think this will be a new tradition - it was so fun.  The highlights of the night were the red velvet cake, the making of the music video and volleyball.  It was fun to have the parents there the whole time with us young-uns. 

On Christmas day, I woke up with a sore throat! Ugh. I ended up spending most of the day at home sleeping, but did make it to Vai's to eat some yummy sour cream waffles and wish them a Merry Christmas.

Christmas night we went to Kalo's house for a turkey dinner and some presents.  It was so fun and we were totally spoiled by everyone.  THANK YOU FAMILY!

Phew! It was a fun Christmas.  We'd tried to plan our Christmas day so carefully so we wouldn't be rushed anywhere, but my throat had other plans so I was pretty much just rushed to bed (I actually went to the doctor the day after Christmas and was diagnosed with strep. . . Bleh!)  Still, I was able to see everyone I wanted to see and spend a little time with them.  I'm so grateful for our families here - it made our holiday so special to be able to spend it with them (of course, we really missed my parents in Hawaii. . . but we're excited to see them next week! Woohoo!!.

The girls thoroughly enjoyed the holiday.  We got them walkie talkies for Christmas, but their favorite gift was the big cardboard house my mom sent for them.  They spent the WHOLE day coloring it.  Malia's favorite personal gift was the new piano books and new piano book bag from Aunty Kalo - she's starting lessons next week and is SO excited.

I love this season so much because of the fun, excitement and love that is always in the air.  I loved preparing for everything - getting gifts wrapped, rooms decorated and food made. I loved seeing so much of our families and spending so much time together with our little family.  Indeed, it was a very merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas!!

**A little something I want to remember - Malia was asked to give a talk about Christmas in Primary on Sunday.  Instead of having her memorize anything I just told her the story from the bible of Jesus' birth - from the angel visiting Mary to the wise men visiting baby Jesus.  I told it to her several times during the week so that she'd be familiar with it.  When she got up to speak at church, her teacher asked where her paper was and if she needed help, but Malia just said, No, I know it.  She then told the whole story of baby Jesus - with all the details, not missing a thing.  She closed with her testimony.  The mom sitting next to me was so impressed.  And I was one proud momma.:)

alisa christmas party

Since everyone has plans for Christmas day (most with inlaws), my family decided to have our Christmas party a few days before the actual holiday.  I hosted and went the extra mile and decorated the house a bit. It was a White Elephant Gift Exchange/Ugly Sweater Party/Potluck/Family Home Evening Party. . . haha! It was great. We had a Cafe Rio type bar - pork barbacoa, black beans, spanish rice, pico de gallo, tortillas, chips. . . mmm I'm getting hungry all over again. It was delicious - probably my favorite potluck menu ever. We read/told the story of the birth of Jesus Christ so the kids could act it out and it turned out so cute. They were so excited to get all dressed up.  I definitely think that will be a new family tradition - it was so nice. We finished the night with a white elephant exchange.  The best gifts were a cougar hat, a pull-up bar and CD pack of NSYNC and Backstreet Boys. After everything was over, we all just chilled and hung out for a while. It was so fun!

Red and green Latus (I was rushing around so much I kinda had to put our costumes together last minute. Oh well)

Ho ho ho Hafokas

The WINNERS of the ugly sweater contest - Shan and Michael.  (Michael actually won for ugliest outfit overall - those were gray pleated cords. . . nuff said.)

The highlight of my night - the kids nativity.  Malia was Mary, Maddox was Joseph and Kina was the angel.  Mary was a little frustrated because Joseph wasn't as attentive as she would've liked, but once she had her baby she was content with everything.

Everybody

After the party tonight, I finally really feel like it's Christmastime! I love it.  Everyone was there and everyone had fun.  It was especially nice because Mom and Dad got to skype from Hawaii so it felt like they were kinda there with us. I love my family so much!

Merry Christmas errrrybody!

grandma vai

Last night the girls had a sleepover at Grandma's house.  

I picked them up this morning and they'd had so much fun.  

I'm so grateful for Vai for ALL she does for the girls and for me.

. . .and I'm so grateful to know that Kina CAN stay still to get her hair done . . .when she chooses to.

wayne's christmas piano recital

Today was the recital for Wayne's piano students.  It's a big deal for us.  He has only two a year - one in the Summer and one at Christmastime. We had it at UVU (thanks to Pres. Holland whose kids take from Wayne) and it was a TOTAL success.  A few families weren't able to make it, but the kids that were there played wonderful.  At the end, Wayne gave awards to each student and asked Travis Uale and my brother, Michael, to come and hand them out.  The kids (and their parents) loved it.  Each student got a lei (made by moi and Miss Kika - 20 leis in 30 minutes!! haha THANK YOU KIKA!) and many got pictures with their BYU Cougar heroes afterward.  I think it was such a cute idea. It made the recital very fun and very memorable.  One dad told me, "You know, we've had a weekend full of fun Christmas parties. THIS was by far the coolest event yet."  

I'm so proud of Wayne for being such a good teacher.  It's not an easy job and he really works hard to be the best he can be.  I'm so grateful for his talent and the opportunity he has to teach.  I'm so grateful for these awesome families that have come into our lives because of Wayne's piano studio.  It's a huge blessing for our family.  Great job Wayne!  

malia's preschool christmas program

Malia preformed in her preschool Christmas program was yesterday.  She did so good!  She sang with all her classmates at Planet Preschool and the younger kids that go on opposite days of the week.  They sang at the Courtyard at Jamestown Assisted Living Center - it's a very nice rest home - and the sweet people living there loved it.  I think that is such an awesome idea to do a Christmas program at a place like that - it's like two birds with one stone - and everyone came out happy. 

Malia knew all the motions and words very well - she's been singing the songs at home for a few weeks now.  Her favorite is the Hanukkah song.  Malia really is a natural performer.  She loves being in front of people and is never shy or embarrassed.  She was SO excited for this program.  This experience makes me want to put her in other things so she can have more opportunities to do what she loves - perform for an audience.

Malia with her awesome teacher, Miss Mangum

Wayne and I sent out texts to our families the day before inviting them to the program, but not really expecting anyone to come. This isn't even everyone that was there.  Needless to say, I think Malia was the most supported little girl there.  I love our family! (Sidenote - Tali loved the music so much she was sad when it was all over.)

Great job Malia!

Merry Christmas!

malia and kina's new favorite pastime

WASHING DISHES!

They LOVE it! They get their chairs pushed up next to the sink and are VERY busy and focused until the entire task is completely finished.  Malia scrubs everything extremely thoroughly (like over and over again) and Kina is a little more lenient . . . but they both totally enjoy it.  I'm hoping this new found love keeps it's enticement for a long looooong time.

**In other news - Last night at dinner, Malia was a little reluctant to eat her food.
ME:  Malia, you are so lucky to have that - there are some kids who don't have ANY food to eat.  Did you know there are kids in China who are starving?
MALIA:  No. Mom, they do have food.  The kids in China have noodles."

happy thanksgiving!

Malia came home from preschool today with this feather headdress . . . so we made some for all the kids.  

On each of Malia's feathers she'd written something she was grateful for. She is grateful for:

Pancakes
Mom because she makes pancakes with my name
Michael playing football
Stories
To learn

Happy Thanksgiving!

last of hawaii

I know, I know. SO last week, yeah? I KNOW!  I just love these pics too much not to post them BUT I swear after this one you won't hear another peep from me about Hawaii (. . . until we go again at the end of this month. . . but you know what I mean, right?)

Malia running at BYUH

Kina trying on Papa's yard hat

Tali admiring Grammy's garden

Mine and Wayne's engagement photo (crimz, I know but we both happened to be wearing white shirts at the temple so we thought, what the hey?)

"Grammy" taken by Malia Latu

Papa playing with Amalani and Tali in the yard

Tali taking a ride with Daddy

Watching Pewa in HA with Harm and Tali

The girls with Aunty Rina. Malia actually ran down as soon as the show was done to meet and greet with the performers and by the time I saw her she was taking pictures with random tourists and the dancers.

Amalani and Tali cracking up on the teeter totter.

Daddy and Kina at Hukilau Cafe enjoying their loco moco.

Michael (with his friends and fellow teammates Spencer Hadley and Marcus Matthews) at Hukilau Cafe.

and lastly,

Malia, Kina and Tali with their banana trees (the ones that are named after them) in the backyard. Yes, it's sad but that's the best picture I got of all three of them in the same frame. 

Aloha oe, Hawaii!

love to see the temple

Have I mentioned yet that we went to Hawaii? Hmm. . . I think I got a little ahead of myself with those last two posts. Let me catch up.

Sooo. . . last week Thursday we planned to go as a family to beautiful Hawaii-nei to see the BYU-UH game.  It would be a very short trip (just a few days), but I was excited because Wayne was planning on being with us the whole time.  As always, I spent the day before cleaning my house so I could leave a clean house to come home to.  I did 8 loads of laundry (washed, folded and put away), 3 loads of dishes, lots of vacuuming and 38. . . yes, 38 bags of raked leaves (Wayne and I were out in our yard at 1 AM putting them in those bags).  It was a lot of work, but I was VERY happy to have a clean house and yard before we left.  

We all went to the airport together and I was so excited to have Wayne with us on the flight.  I've flown solo with the girls the last few times and I'm kinda over it.  We were sitting on the airplane and it was all great and dandy until the flight attendant came and told us one of us would have to give up our seat and get off the plane. So I flew to Hawaii by myself and the girls AGAIN. . . but honestly . . . it wasn't so bad.  Tali was on my lap and the big girls sat by themselves near me, so I spent much of the flight standing up and checking on them. They did fabulous . . . and I think it was great practice for when that may happen again.  All the people around us kept commenting on how good they were.  I was so relieved and so grateful.  Lemonade out of lemons, I tell ya.

We spent a wonderful week as a family in Hawaii (Wayne got on a later flight and landed several hours after me).  We got to see lots of friends and family and eat lots of good food.  I still have tons of pics to post, but these are some of my favorites because they are taken at my favorite place in Laie (besides my own house, of course) - the TEMPLE! 

I feel like everyone who has ever lived in Laie has at least one picture with their faces in these holes.

my three beauties

Latu family

I'm so happy we were able to make this trip as a family.  I love doing things with all five of us. . .just feels more complete.  Only thing was the trip was waaay too short. . . I guess I just might have to go again! haha

byu-uh game

The last time I was in Aloha Stadium was before my mission to watch my little brother, David play for the Kahuku Red Raiders in the state championships.  I have very fond memories of this stadium- rain or shine, it was always fun to be a part of the red raider nation.  Though this game didn't involve the Kahuku team, sitting in the BYU family section still felt like old times because of all the Laie/Hawaii people that were there.  It was such a FUN day - it was so exciting to cheer on Michael and the Cougars.  

We got to the stadium a little early to eat lunch in the stadium parking lot . . . us and about 500 other people.  I'd never seen so many tailgaters.  There was music, laughing and a lot of food - it was such a fun atmosphere.

Kinda a glum family pic . . . I think the kids had just gotten in trouble for running around in the road.

Our Laie cousins who came to support - Tiare, Andrea, Vika, Loti and Jaddy.  We love you guys!

This random BYU fan/tourist saw us all standing by the ticket counter talking to our neighbor, Inoke Funaki, and wanted to take our picture because of our Michael shirts.  Even though Inoke is on the UH coaching staff, we aaalll know he's a BYU Cougar DEEP down inside. haha

Inoke and Wayne and the cutest BYU cheerleaders of the day.

Our cheering section!  We were so happy and grateful that Michael got us all tickets!  I think he got about 18 in all - it was so great to all sit together and cheer on the team.  With all the family around, the little girls just went back and forth from aunty to uncle and were happy whole time.  The Hawaii cousins had a fun time learning the BYU cheers.  Their favorite? The "ra ra ra-ra-ra, ra ra ra-ra-ra, gooooo Cougars!" haha

Michael had an awesome game - he was one of the leading rushers and BYU won 41-20.  This is a crazy awesome shot that was on the Sport's section front page of the Sunday Honolulu Advertiser.

 Vili Fehoko was the lead Tongan drummer for the village and night show when Tali and I first started working at PCC and he is now the official UH mascot.  He was HILARIOUS during the game. . . but a little too scary for baby Tali afterward.

After the game, we all waited by the tunnel to congratulate the team. (Did you notice Tali lost one of her Crocs? Aargh!  Seriously, I still feel like crying when I think about it.)

After Kina gave Michael his lei, she started to eat the candy on his other one. Real NICE.  I don't know where she gets it from. . . 

 Hannah, mom, Walter Kahaialii, Wayne and Tali, Ali'i, Michael, Spencer Hadley, Marcus Matthews, Inoke and Amalani, Tali, Tiare, me and Dad.

The WHOLE group (Aunty Eseta made that awesome tongan lei for Michael.  Isn't it beautiful?)

 As we were taking pictures, President Samuelson and his wife came by and said hi.  We love him so much - about five and a half years ago he sealed us in the Mt. Timpanogos temple.  This man amazes me - out of all the million people he knows he still remembers and greets me and Wayne by name.  He shook my hand and said, "Hi Mary! Wow. Michael had a great game today!" 

Our family

We had a very fun and full day.  We saw so many old friends and family members and totally enjoyed the Aloha spirit and Hawaii game day atmosphere.  It was frosting on the cake that Michael played well and the Cougars won.  On our way back to the car, we ran into Aunty Fine Uyema who gave us some of her famous Mochiko chicken (YUMMO!) which was the perfect ending of a PERFECT day. 

Goooo Cougars!

life's a beach

Have I ever mentioned how much I love the beach? 

Cause I do. 

A lot.

And I'm doing my best to raise a bunch of beach lovers too:)

LOVE this photo