Life Back on the Mainland & the Ogden Temple Open House

So blogging Hawaii took about three years of my life.  SHEESH - we took SO many pictures.  It was great.  As we got home, all our energy and efforts took their toll on us.  Ruby came down with a crazy diarrhea bug that lasted well over a week, I came home with pink eye, Ross came home with about a thousand bug bites (which we had a sneaking suspicion was actually bed bugs or something), and Steve caught a cold.  The time change was horrendous too (unless it was when we slept in until 10 in the mornings - that felt nice), but we couldn't get to bed at decent hours - we all were just too wide awake. It took us about 10 days to FINALLY feel like normal again and come out into the world.

We got some great tickets to the Odgen Temple Open House.  It was so fun to walk through the temple with our kids.  Ross was especially excited because he always sees Steve and I leave to go to the temple and any other time he goes we just walk around the grounds since he is not old enough yet.  He has gotten in our head that anytime anyone goes to the temple it's to get married.  He'll say as we go to leave, "Are you going to the temple mom to get married?  Okay - go get married to Daddy and come back.  Be good!"  It's the sweetest thing in the world.  Here is a brief explanation of why we have temples and what we really do when we go. :)  

Ross and Ruby both loved the fountain outside, and loved looking at all the chandeliers and rooms as we walked through.  They actually did really well, and Ross loves saying he's been in the temple now.  Oh how I love the Temple.  It was beautiful remodeled and had such gorgeous rooms.  It was a fun trip.

Waiting our turn for the tour

Gorgeous Temple

The Fountain - Ross visited this multiple times while we were outside.  He is the cutest thing ever!  Look at that face. :)

Family Picture - can you tell Ross and Ruby both feel they are with the wrong parent.

NOW everyone is happy.  Our finicky kids. ;)

Family Picture!

Hawaii Week 4

Wow, so we were in Hawaii for almost a whole month.  It was pretty incredible and exhausting at the same time. :)  The last week we jam packed a few of the things we hadn't done yet and repeated some of our favorites we had already done.

Thursday we went to the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC).  Michael applied for a job there since he was going to stay for the semester and got hired as a tour guide.  Fun for him. :)  

At the PCC they have six different "islands" you visit and learn about the culture: Tahiti, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Hawaii, and Fiji.  At Tahiti we learned how to make delicious coconut bread (secret is freshly shredded coconut...now we just need to plant a coconut tree here so we can make that bread!), afterwards we headed to Tonga and was entertained by their war drums and the Tongans embarrassing audience members. :)  We watched the parade of the canoes after that in the perfect spot to fence Ross and Rubes in.  Suckers also kept them entertained as they watched the different islands come out and dance.  We all got to enjoy it then. :)

Showing us how to make coconut bread

Yum!

Parade time!

They had a cute little fishing place Ross was thrilled about.

Suckers are just so satisfying

New Zealand

Samoa

Fiji

Hawaii

Ross and Ruby were barely hanging in there, so Steve took Ruby with him to New Zealand (Steve's mom, Claudia, served her mission there) and Ross and I went for a canoe ride which he actually paddled and did an okay job.  We rehydrated and met up with everyone in Samoa.  Ruby fell asleep just in time for it to start so we got to enjoy the presentation the whole time.  We saw them husk and prepare a coconut as well as climb a coconut tree - CRAZY.  (Samoa was my favorite the last visit I came).  Ruby was still sleeping so we snuck in to see Hawaii's program where we learned that pineapple is not actually Hawaiian, neither are macadamia nuts.  They were brought in and are mainly produced now for tourists. :)  We also learned the Hula is actually a sacred dance ritual that doesn't involve any smiling (when the tourism perked up, they modernized the Hula more for entertainment).

Graham crackers and canoe rides!

New Zealand

Beautiful sleep

Our Samoan presenter

Coconut tree climbing :)

Ruby woke up quite grumpy as was Ross - we went to the Island Buffet for dinner - so good, and then the grandparents took the kids to a short little movie to give Steve and I a break.  We headed up to the amphitheater and just sat there quietly reveling in the peace for 20 minutes.  It was lovely.  Everyone met up with us and we watched the night show of all the islands and their dancing.  It was fabulous!  Ross especially loved the fire and the fire dancing. :)  
 

Dinner!

Ready for the program :)

By the end of the night we were DONE.  We all crashed at home after such a long day. :)

Friday we took Ross with us to the Hukilau Cafe and had an incredible breakfast (they have fabulous banana pancakes - which actually inspired Jack Johnson's song.

Time for breakfast!

How to choose?

Seriously can't decide!

Ross wanted to have a meltdown on the floor...at least it was clean they told us haha.

Adam Sandler and Drew Barymore even ate here! :)

Yum!

Totally satisfied :)

Banana pancakes rock!

Afterwards we took the kids to the Dole Plantation where they grow all the pineapples, had one of their classic and scrumptious pineapple whips and wandered around the pineapple gardens.  They had a train there, but the price was a bit too much for our blood.  We were happily entertained by the fish in the pond though.  There were SO many, and apparently they were all starving.  When we fed them fish food, they would actually beach themselves in order to get it.  Ross and Ruby were VERY entertained - to be honest, so were we.

We did lots of eating as you can tell.  These pineapple whips were to die for!

Crazy fish

My Ruby plumeria :)

A Ross Plumeria too :)

On the way back we stopped at Turtle Beach and saw some pretty sweet awesome turtles - two of which were on the beach.  They were HUGE.  A bunch were in the water too.  Ross loved it. :)
 

Watching the turtle!

We snuck in a trip to Kakala beach too for some swimming.  It was quite nice.  You always need a beach trip.

That night was family pictures.  Young's camera made us all look good.  :)  And our sweet awesome tans also helped. ;)

After that, Steve and I got to go do a session at the Hawaii Temple while the grandparents took the kids.  I love that temple.  It was a wonderful experience and so sweet.  I was amazed at how many of the patrons had family names they were taking through.  I need to be better at doing my family history!
 

Love my sweetheart.  Families truly can be forever.  I love the temple!

Saturday we got to go take a tour of Steve's cousin, Doug's, Marine Base.  It was cool seeing how a military base pretty much is its own little city, including some pretty sweet beaches.
 

Some of the family in the pic with cousin Doug and his family. :)

Afterwards we got lunch at this place called Ted's Bigger Burgers - I got a fabulous chicken sandwich, and then we headed to my favorite mom beach - Kailua.  Oh how to love that place.  Ruby loved the river and Ross liked jumping the waves.  We hung out and chatted with all the family that met up there and then headed home when the kids couldn't last any longer.  Nate headed home that day too.

Fabulous Kailua

Sunday we enjoyed one more Hawaiian ward and then did a fun little photo scavenger hunt looking around Laie and learning about Claudia's family history and the history of Laie.  We ended at the visitor's center and watched Johnny Lingo (a must).  I forgot the week before we had dinner with one of the Claudia's best friends, Eloise, at their house.  The kids loved all their toys.

President David O McKay prophesied what a great influence this college would be, and would influence bringing millions through here.  Every word is true!

A statue of Ma Manuhii who nursed President Joseph F. Smith back to health when he was a missionary.  A wonderful woman!

Pounders beach where the old dock used to be.

Where Goo's Store used to be.

The Point

A tidal wave blew a hold through the rock here at the point.

The house where Claudia grew up in the 60's.

Sunday Hawaiian outfits :)

Trying to get grandkid pics are extremely difficult!

Grandma and Grandpa had to help. :)

But it didn't last ;)

Claudia with her best friend Eloise and her husband Jeff.

Monday was our last day in Hawaii since we flew out Tuesday morning.  We packed and weighed our bags, trying to balance every last ounce to the max, and had a swim at our beloved Kakala beach one last time.  Young entertained us all with his mad body boarding skills...okay - trying to get the skills.  He was a great sport about it though - those waves ate him up like crazy!  Ross and Ruby enjoyed the giant hole Steve made for them and Ruby found more sticks of course.
 

Tom getting in on the cartoon fun.

This happened a lot when we weren't at the beach or doing something somewhere - since there were no toys!

A visitor :)

Young catching a wave!

Ruby waiting for Mommy to come back from floating!

Sticks make this little girl extremely happy!

Handsome :)

Our porch of shoes and towels drying :)

Babies were regularly stripped down after the beach and rinsed off - their least favorite part. :)

That evening we started a new tradition for Hawaii.  We got a chocolate haupia pie and ate it at sunset at Waimea.  The mass of people had thinned out, and Steve and I got to sneak in one more snorkeling trip, Steve jumping off the rock, and watching the sun go down while floating in that beautiful water.  It was fantastic.  A great way to end our trip. :)
 

Mmmm - good pie!

Michael chillin' since he couldn't get in the water.

Sunset!

Steve jumping - pic of the trip!

The flight home when MUCH better than planned (except I had some how gotten pink eye two days before).  All our luggage was under weight, and the kids did quite well for the 6 hour flight - including taking some decent naps on the plane.  Beka and I almost missed our second flight from Vegas to Salt Lake, but luckily it was delayed so we got there just in time.  Ruby did swimmingly for that one too (thank goodness since I was by myself).  My awesome parents picked us up, and I can't tell you how good it felt to sleep in my own bed, in a cool room, without children.  Steve and Ross made it home the next afternoon with everyone driving from Vegas and after about 10 days we finally got rid of sickness and more adjusted to the time change.  

Gearing up for home - and not so excited about it.  Hawaii we will miss you!

 We had a beautiful time Hawaii and thousands of memories.  Truthfully the best part was being to spend it all with family.  Making memories with family is what builds our unity.  I'm so grateful we could have that chance to be in such a beautiful place, enjoying our surroundings, and all our relationships together.  We'll see you next time Hawaii!