Before I forget - Hawaii 2011

It really was worth every penny.  I'd take all my kids again in a heartbeat.  I loved, loved having all my sisters and parents there.  Can we go again next year?  Maybe Kauai?  Tahiti?  Jess, you in?

Apparently no one told the older ones we were posing in this shot.

Jace paid way too much money for the legit whale bone carving necklace I'm wearing.  He wasn't even mad at me when I dropped it on the tile floor and it broke - the same day he bought it.  

Apparently it looks like I only packed one swimsuit for my trip or apparently the majority of our pictures were taken on the same day.  Just be glad it fit- - that is my motto.

BFF's

Sunset Beach:

I have said it before....but Jace is a ball to have on vacation

Polynesian Cultural Center:

Pearl Harbor:

The big ship in the back ground picked up Osama Bin Laden and then dumped him into the sea.  It pulled into port the day we were there.  And that's pretty much as close as they would let us get to it.

Memorable trip highlights included:

*Swimming with the sharks (Jace had to yell at me to put my head under the water a couple times....I think I would have just doggy paddled around on top of the water in the cage.  It was claustrophobic and intense.)

*Getting caught in a flash flood in our rental mini van (FYI:  just because the locals don't think floods are a big deal does not mean you should drive your family thru one in the pitch dark.  Jace and I almost peed our pants....and our prayers were answered...miraculously we were not washed out to sea)

*Just Dance 2 (we all know who the real winner was, Beet)

*Para sailing (the water was purple and turquoise)

*Ted's bakery (butter rolls-enough said)

*Pearl Harbor (probably the best thing I did.....we missed the USS Arizona tour so we did the USS Missouri battleship tour....so glad we did.  I hope my kids remember it always.  I want to go back.)

*Seeing the navy ship that dumped Bin Laden into the sea 

*Meeting a sailor that was on that ship

*That sailor giving Noah his Navy hat and letting him sleep on his shoulder the whole plane ride home

*The jelly fish that almost took my Noah's life (he screamed like a girl - so I started screaming like a girl - it did not help but Ezra peeing on his brother's leg might of helped)

*Coconut syrup on my pancakes

*Jace's surfing lessons (and his surfing instructors - they were memorable.  wowsza)

*And the unfortunate purse snatching incident (dang locals)

Milestone - 8 Months

My 8th month old keiki.  She was a doll.  She loved Hawaii.  She loved the sand in all her crevasses.  She loved her mildew smelling crib.  She loved (and slept on) the airplane rides.  She even loved cutting her 1st tooth during our stay on the big island.

She completely steals the show at family home evenings these days.  She watches the other kids pick and perform a primary song and she refuses to be left out.  She sings (yells) at the top of her lungs, smiles, laughs, and claps (!).  Who taught her that?  She is a professional clapper.  She is hilarious.  She loves the spot light.

And I'll be, if we didn't watch her wave to our fellow passengers on the para sailing boat.  The entire ride.  Who taught her that?  She is a professional waver.

And so Mikeal confirmed this month what we have suspected all along......she is a genius baby.

Oh and yes, I almost forgot.  How could I forget?  Mikeal is full on crawling this month.  No more scooting, limping, or diving - the chic is on the move.  My life and hers just became very dangerous.

And FYI:  I really wanted a souvenir shirt to match Mikael.  They did not have my size.

Safety First

We are currently:

• trying on goggles
• practicing the back stroke in the tub
• measuring and weighing suitcases
• counting our pennies
• losing sleep
• praying last year's swimsuit will fit

Our trip to Hawaii is just around the corner.  Back in December, I told Jace this Hawaii trip with all 4 of the children would be a good idea.  No!  A great idea!  That was back in the day when Mikael used to chill on my lap.  For hours.  Not the case today.  How will I manage a 6 hour flight?  Me and her are sharing a seat.  Luckily, 4 of my sisters and all of their hoodlums children will be on the same flight.  What's that you say?  It's not a lucky thing?  I feel a lot of sympathy for the old man that was purchasing his ticket the same night we all were.  He will be stuck right in the middle of us - all 23 of us.   I ask that my relatives acknowledge they know me and my redneck/chicken smuggling crew (and that they take turns holding the only squirming infant on the plane).

So, Aloha for now.  I'll be back to retrieve my large Old Navy box sitting at the post office.  Can you believe a government office was closed today and will be closed on Monday as well?  What do they expect Noah and Ezra to wear to the beach?  Sheesh.  I will also be back to make sure these flowers did not die and start swim lessons.  And we will return to buy that one house. :)

p.s.  Macy asks all to pray for the safe return of her and all her limbs.  Taking her to see the movie about the surfer getting her arm ripped off by a shark in Hawaii right before our trip may not have been my brightest move.  We will be lucky if her ankles get wet this trip.

Lake Powell 2009

I have been in mourning since our return home from Lake Powell. We had a ball. It was a full week of sun, sand, water, sisters, parents, cousins, wind, rain, and tragedies. We started and ended the week with accidents. He was driving both times and witnessed both. I, the passenger, was never aware anything had happened until He had slammed on the brakes, pulled off the freeway, or until he jumped off the jet ski into the water.

Last Sunday on the 202 freeway, while leaving town, He saw a car airborne and turning in the air. He said the car completed about 8 rotations--Transformer style--landed and slid off the freeway into an electric pole. He ran across the freeway, knowing the all passengers in the car would be dead, but instead found 1 driver alive. He helped the man climb out of the broken windshield, then proceeded to clean up bumpers and car debris off the freeway. We were amazed at this man's luck and talked about His brother, Chad, and his unluck. We both had never seen such a horrible accident. For the second time this year my cell phone dialed 911.

This photo is not at all related to the above & below mentioned accidents but an accident indeed. Just because He knows how to live in a 5th wheel trailer, does not mean he knows how to pull one behind his truck in the sand at Lone Rock. Note the busted out back window.

Then on Friday, our last day at the Lake and on our last boat ride, I heard a loud bang. SMACK. The sound didn't register, until I saw He jumping off the jet ski and my Dad, and Kirsten and Dan all in the water and swimming towards a body in a red life jacket. A 14 year girl had ran her jet ski right into my Dad's boat. She never saw my Dad and my Dad didn't see her--until the very end. He cut the boat hard to the right and in turn saved her life. Her jet ski hit the front of the boat that was carrying 10 people, including my Macy. It was amazing that no one was thrown from the boat. There was a smashed finger, a bloody nose, a banged up lip, and lots of tears. We were lucky Dan was there. He immediately knew how to help this girl. I wishing I had my cell phone with me in the water to call 911 for a 3rd time this year, and a 2nd time that week. My parents got a phone call later that night, that the girl was going to be ok. She was in fact going back to join her family on their houseboat after her trip to the hospital. It was amazing. Those 1st couple moments after the accident were very scary for this girl and all of us watching. Her injuries initially looked horrible and probably should have been. Of all our years and trips to the lake, we had never witnessed or experienced anything like it. Heavenly Father was truly looking out for us all and a lucky 14 year old girl. The accident put a damper on what had been such a fun week. We all still think about the accident often and are reminded of how unexpected life can be. Are you ready for it?

Ezra.

Noah.

Macy.

All of them.

Have I mentioned the Flakes are back? We couldn't be more thrilled.

Papa and Sailor. She lived up to her name. She was a doll.

Max. Oh Max.

Who is in for next year? I can hardly wait.

Disneyland and Such

TO DO:

1. Find your "true love, first kiss"...........................check.

2. Multiply and replenish................................check.

3. Load up the family wagon..............................check.

4. Drive the 9 hours to Disneyland...................check.

5. Walk, ride, eat, scream, walk some more, wait, push, and then ride some more................check.

Short Ezra waited the lines like a champ, thanks to a father that filled the stroller with suckers, tootsie rolls, and such every morning.

Me: "Noah, what was your bestest thing about Disneyland?"

Noah: "Uh, I didn't get to see Winnie the Pooh."

note: Jace doesn't think I should enroll him in pee wee football until rational thoughts begin to roll around in his brain. He's sure fun to talk to though.

Macy wanted me to disclose that she "hated all the grown-up rides and loves all the baby rides and that a Star Wars Storm Trooper almost shot her."

note: jace and i just got back from parent teacher conference. Ms. E says Macy loves to organize and dust the teacher's desks when reading rainbow is on and has led the class in a spontaneous singing of "I Am A Child of God" more than once....it brought tears to Ms. E's eyes. You couldn't have slapped that smile off my face the entire way home.

Thanks Papa and Grandma Mikey! We loved Disneyland as much as the Walkers said we would.

Next time, leave the stomach virus at home and remind us to purchase airline tickets.

Mexico 08

Beautiful Aubrianna (Katrice's numeral quatro)

Raise your hand if you like Mexico!

Whee.

I'm telling you it was Heartbreak Hotel, when these two were forced to part ways on the last day.

Trace amigas with braids

Beautiful Ezra (my numeral trace)

Hunting for seashells.

Beautiful Macy (my numeral uno)

Small found treasure.

Look....see....sea.....ci!

While we're sure the natives were not happy with our arrival.....we managed to have another amazing trip to Rocky Point. Local resort guest included: Addie, Eric, and the boys; Treg, DeAnne and twins, Katrice and her 4; and us. We were graced with Josh, Camryn and Liv's company daily as well.

Notes for next year's trip: learn spanish, bring 4-wheeler titles, bring walkie talkies (1 for you in Mexico and 1 for the worried sick husband sitting in America waiting for his turn to cross the boarder), never again attempt a 20 mile jet ski ride (this one is specifically for Jace), keep plenty of cash on hand for the local police, when the police ask you to follow them to the station to pay your ticket - just follow and don't ask if the unlit, back alley is really where they conduct official police business, and bring ant repellant - lots of it - Addie prefers to take her lunch on the ant free patio.