Happy Thanksgiving

I am grateful for my many blessings. Here I am with four of the  sweetest gifts God has given to me.

Work

Evan gave a talk in church today.  His subject was "work" and he did a great job! Here is the text of his talk:

What do you think of when you hear the word work? Many people view work as a negative thing. Do you? If you find yourself thinking of work negatively, remember what Elder D. Todd Christofferson said about work and maybe it will help you see it differently. He said, 

By work we sustain and enrich life. It enables us to survive the disappointments and tragedies of the mortal experience. Hard-earned achievement brings a sense of self-worth. Work builds and refines character, creates beauty, and is the instrument of our service to one another and to God.

I’m 15 year old boy so I know that doing work can be hard sometimes. But I also know how rewarding true work can be. I have found that when I am working toward something that is important to me, I have a much better attitude toward work and I see work as a good thing. 

Last year I wanted to have a garden. I had a good area on the side of my house, but it was filled with a LOT of weeds. I spent hours digging and pulling the weeds until I had finally cleared the area. I then leveled the ground and spent even more time building the raised garden beds out of bricks and cement blocks. I filled them with dirt that I hauled from a neighbor’s house and planted the things I wanted to plant.  Throughout the rest of that spring, I worked very hard keeping the plants alive and then harvesting them. I never complained about the hard work or even thought about stopping because I was working towards something I wanted and so the attitude I had about the work was positive. 

I have learned to try to have this same attitude towards work even when I’m not excited about doing it. When my parents ask me to help clean the garage I’m not very happy about it, but when I think of how I’m helping them and keeping our home clean I am more motivated. When I succeed in seeing work as a positive thing, I am able to see it’s benefit and make the work I’m doing important to me and more enjoyable.

Through my life so far I’ve also learned that while work is important, we also need to take time to relax and rejuvenate.  Elder Chistofferson also said, “Just as honest toil gives rest its sweetness, wholesome recreation is the friend and steadying companion of work. Music, literature, art, dance, drama, athletics—all can provide entertainment to enrich one’s life and further consecrate it.” There is always a time for work and play. But, if there is imbalance between the two, it can cause problems, which is why we need to know our Priorities and do the things that are the most important for us.

We have to work here on earth very hard to progress as far as we can, that way we will be one step closer to perfection when we go into the next life.  Learning to work now will also help prepare us for our eternal responsibilities. 

One example of someone who has taught me to work hard is my Grandpa Emerson. He was a very hard worker. To support his family he worked two jobs for 17 years. During the day he worked at the post office, and in the evening he worked cleaning the bank. He often took one of his children to the bank while he cleaned to, spend time with them and to be an example to them so they would work hard. This must have been very hard for him, but I’m glad that he did this because he was able support his family and teach me the importance of hard work. 

In D&C 75 it says, “Behold, I say unto you that it is my will that you should go forth and not tarry, neither be idle but labor with your might. And thus, if ye are faithful ye shall be laden with many sheaves, and crowned with honor, and glory, and immortality, and eternal life.” 

He bore his testimony and closed in the name of Jesus Christ.

The Hazards of Eating Nutella for Breakfast

In Her Own Words

This crazy-haired baby is fast becoming a little girl and she's got the growing vocabulary to prove it! Here are a few of our favorites:

*She holds up her finger and says, "one" when asked how old she is. Aaron worked for almost a week to teach her this.

*Sings E-I-E-I-O pretty much in tune. She loves Old Mac Donald and all the animal noises! She says, baa, moo, neigh, quack, woof and meow.

*Says, "Hi, honey" so sweetly. When we were on vacation I asked her to come over and she didn't want to. Finally I said, "Come on over honey." She growled back, "Me no honey!" I was so surprised by this response that I laughed and said, "Hey, I didn't know you could say 'honey'! Why don't you try saying 'Hi honey?'" So she did!

*She insists I pray for her grandpa in her bedtime prayer. If I forget (or don't get to him soon enough) she reminds me by saying, "Papa" over and over until I pray for him.

*At the end of every prayer she shouts "amen" very enthusiastically. In church she also loudly "amens" at the end of songs and musical numbers.

*She recently learned to sign and say "rain." Yesterday, I took her in the shower and she chanted, "It raining. It raining!" almost the entire time.

Her little words bring such joy to our whole family!

Desperate Measures

I know you thought you had seen the last of my vacation posts. It is great to be home, except for one thing . . . I want to go back! I am suffering from serious Maui withdrawal.

I finally resorted to looking at photos of the only undesirable things I found in Maui: sharks and high food prices! (Dont worry, I didn't actually find any sharks, i just read the newspaper article about the attack.) Even that wasn't enough. I am still ready to jump on the next Maui-bound flight. John did buy a pineapple at the store today. If only he'd picked up some chocolate covered macadamia nuts too!

Day 10 - The End!

Our last day in Maui arrived too soon. John & I had planned to take a
drive along the road to Hana, but the beach called to us and we just
couldn't resist! We decided to check out a cove near our condo. It was
full of folks learning to paddle board and kayak. Fun, but with the
rocky shore it wasn't quite what we were looking for. Then we stopped
by a large beach just down the road. There was a crowd gathered and
the lifeguard warned people to stay back from the mother manta ray and
her two babies. It was cool to see the rays swimming in the ocean. We
walked down a little farther on the beach, but it felt like our
beaches back at home. It wasn't how we wanted to spend our last day in
Maui.

We finally decided to drive down to Makena to one of our favorite
beaches, Maluaka. It was the same place where we caught the Kai
Kanani, the snorkel boat to Molokini. The sand on Maluaka is coarse,
but very soft and there are lots of shady spots and large pieces of
beautiful driftwood. On a practical note, there is a drop off point
and good showers and bathrooms at the parking lot.

The water was the clearest and calmest we had ever seen it there. That
meant great snorkeling and playing in the gentle waves! We fully
enjoyed our last day at the beach. It was fun to watch the crabs
skitter across the sand and I even saw fish and and a starfish at the
water's edge. Lavender kept pointing to the waves saying "wawa mine".
That girl loves the ocean and she got really fussy when it was time to
leave.

Back at the condo, we finished packing and cleaning. One thing I have
to recommend if you're traveling with little ones is Akamai Mother's
Rentals. They had excellent service and prices. We got a carseat, high
chair, portacrib and a huge bag full of toys. Lavender's favorites
were the Dora car and the baby and stroller. Oh she loves that baby. I
was grateful she was napping when they came to pick everything up!

We were sad to leave the beauty of Maui. It was the most relaxing
vacation John and I have ever experienced. We usually love site-seeing
trips and being on the go. We are bored just sitting by the pool. But
Kihei was peaceful without being boring. We can't wait to return and
explore more of this incredible island. Farewell Maui!

Day Nine is Fine!

My first task after sending the kids home was to get all the sheets
and sandy towels washed! But then it was time to hit the beach! We
went back to Ahihi Cove and John did some snorkeling while Lavender
and I relaxed. There isn't sand to play in, but Lavender filled her
bucket with pebbles and rocks and had a great time. I took her a few
steps out into the crystal clear water and we saw lots of fish. She
loved it and couldn't stop giggling.

We wanted to explore another beach and thanks to the Maui Revealed
app, we found the Black Sand beach. The trip down the bumpy, dirt road
was well worth it. We found a pristine, nearly deserted beach. I was
nervous for John to snorkel by himself out in the ocean (instead of a
protected cove with others nearby) but gratefully he met another
snorkeler, a young French guy who lives near Portland.

There were lots of rocks just offshore, which made it a little tricky
to get out, but it was a perfect natural barrier for Lavender. She
played at the water's edge and then decided it would be funny to throw
that black sand all over mom! She was excited to see Daddy coming in
from snorkeling (although this picture is from the next day).

Just after John came up on the beach, rocks started coming down from
the hill above us. I yelled for John to grab Lavender and I was
worried that we shouldn't have ignored the sign warning of hazardous
conditions (but seriously, there were warning signs at every beach!)
As I looked up, I realized that the rocks weren't falling, but were
being thrown. I couldn't believe someone would do that! I was
wondering what to do, when Margo, the wife of the snorkeler, came
walking down the beach and told us that birds were the ones throwing
stones! We got a good laugh at that. We couldn't see them from our
vantage point, but she had a clear view from further down the beach.
FYI, this only reinforced my dislike of birds, although I am grateful
there are no seagulls in Maui!

We also had a great time walking along the rocks at the end of the
beach. There were lots of crabs and little fishes in the pools that
formed there. Lavender stuck her little toes in and giggled some more!

We sure did love the beaches on Maui. Every one was unique and had a
personality of its own!

The last day - but not for me!

Tuesday morning, John and I had our turn to get up early for
snorkeling. Ryan and Evan enjoyed it so much that they went for a
second time. The sun wasn't up when the Kai Kanani pulled up to the
beach and we got aboard. (We took the picture at the end of the trip)
Good thing the water is so warm in Maui!

We grabbed a bite to eat and before we knew it, we had arrived at the
island of Molokini, a sunken crater that is a marine life sanctuary. I
was nervous about snorkeling out in the ocean, but the staff was very
helpful and they had float belts and boogie boards for us to use. The
visibility was great and we saw lots of beautiful fish.

Next the went a little closer to shore along a coral ridge to look for
turtles. They were all down in their caves, but fortunately they came
out to say hi (and get some air). We saw about 10 of them up close.
It was pretty exciting to swim with the turtles! Evan had his GoPro
and he dove down to get video of them emerging from their caves.

It was a great morning! On the way back to our car, we saw this cool
quilt on display at the Makena Beach Resort, so I had to take a
picture.

Later on, we headed to Ahihi Cove for more snorkeling. Evan had a
great time and told me I should go out. I was reluctant because I
didn't have fins and I didn't want to cut my feet like Aaron. Evan
offered to tow me out on the boogie board so I could keep my feet up
and away from the coral. There were an amazing variety of fish and we
even saw a huge orange eel! I sure do have a kind son to take such
good care of me.

It was the kids' last day, so they got packed up and we got some
gelato before we took them to the airport. Molly & Ryab headed home
too, so just John, Lavender and I remained. Lavender was sad to see
everyone go, although she liked having us to herself. She kept saying,
"Mommy, Daddy, me!"

Day 7 in Paradise

The day started early for the boys. They had to check in for their
snorkel trip at 6:00 AM. They reported that it was well worth it to
get up early, even on vacation!

Afterwards, we all hit the beach. Well, various beaches. We dropped
Aaron and Evan off at Ahini Cove for a little more snorkeling. John,
Marianne, Lavender and I drove out through the lava fields to where
the road ends and we took a short hike. There were some gorgeous views
and we found a lava bridge on the beach that was spectacular. Sorry,
the photos are on Marianne's camera.

Then we stopped at Secret Cove, which is literally through a hole in
the wall. We found it through the Maui Revealed app, which I highly
recommend. Thanks to my friend Brandy for recommending it! We saw a
cool blow hole at the cove and some little tide pools full of various
creatures.

When we picked up the boys at Ahihi Cove, we found that Aaron had
sliced his foot pretty badly on some coral. He rested and kept his
foot up for the afternoon, but by evening it was clear he needed
stitches. It only took three stitches, but they had a tough time
getting the bleeding to stop and had to cauterize it. His other foot
was cut too, but not as badly.

On the way to urgent care, they dropped the rest of us off at the Te
Au Moana luau at the Wailea Marriott. It was a great luau with fun
things to see before dinner. We even watched them dig up the main
course, roast pig! John and Aaron joined us just in time for dinner.
Aaron propped his foot up and Ryan helped out getting his food. John
didn't appreciate the help very much when Ryan told him to grab a
virgin piña colada and after one sip, John was surprised to find he'd
gotten an alcoholic drink!

The show was fantastic with lots of Polynesian music and dancing.The
highlight was probably the fire dancer. The little girls loved running
around on the grass with their own versions of the dances. A few older
girls even helped out with "babysitting" which was fun for the little
ones. It was probably the most exciting Family Home Evening we've ever
experienced!

Day 6

The good news: Kihei 1st Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints meetinghouse was only 1/2 mile from our condo!

The less-than-good news: Church started at 9:00 AM.

Actually, the early meeting time was perfect. We were warmly greeted
by multiple prople as we entered the building and we loved hearing the
locals (and a few visitors) bear their testimonies. As a bonus, things
were on the casual side, so no one seemed to mind our three
rambunctious little girls or my two underdressed sons who forgot their
church clothes.

Later we took a drive to the lush 'Iao Valley. You can see the 'Iao
needle above Leighton's head, but the photo doesn't capture the beauty
of the area. It was a lovely green valley with a river running through
it. We arrived just after the Chinese tour bus left and finished up
just as the senior tour bus pulled up. Yeah for good timing. We
traveled a couple of miles down the road looking for a picnic table.
We hit the jackpot at the beautiful Kepaniwai Park and Memorial
Gardens.

After lunch, we succumbed to temptation at The Snow Factory. I know
you are disappointed in us, but you wouldn't be disappointed by the
yummy, frozen treat. It is kind of like a cross between shave ice and
ice cream. I guess you could call it shaved ice cream. Whatever it
was, it melted in your mouth!

At church, Molly saw one of her friend's parents who were visiting
Maui. They told her a great place to see the turtles. Coincidentally,
John wanted to go to the same beach to watch the windsurfers. We found
both the turtles (FYI, I got soaked by a wave taking the photo) and
the windsurfers at Ho'okipa Beach. We also found a great protected
area for the little girls to play!

Molly & Ryan stayed for sunset and got to see dozens of turtles coming
ashore. Apparently, this is fairly new turtle behavior on Maui and
it's cool they got to witness it.

The rest of us raced back to the condo to change clothes for a visit
with John's friend Jack and his wife Sheila. They moved to Maui a few
months ago and bought a home, but they have owned a condo here for
almost 20 years. We were fortunate to be able to rent it for our stay.
They prepared pupus (appetizers) for us, but they had so much
delicious food that we called it dinner. Their daughter (a former Four
Seasons bartender) even made each of us a lava flow, a fantastic
tropical drink, without the rum! We had a fun visit and I loved seeing
some of Sheila's beautiful quilts. It reminded me so much of my mom!
It was a sweet ending to our Sunday.

Day 5 - Full of Adventure

When we were planning out trip to Hawaii, the kids had lots of things
they wanted to do. But nothing is cheap on Maui, so we told them to
start saving their money. Marianne really wanted to go horseback
riding. She saved her money and did her research to find the best
place.

So this morning Evan, Marianne and I drove down south to Makena
Stables. The three of us had a wonderful ride accompanied by our
guides Mary and Christine. Along the way they taught us a lot about
local history and showed us everything there was to see. We rode on
the beach, near sacred native sites made of lava rock and even up to a
volcanic vent. We saw lots of baby goats and even a few spinner
dolphins out in La Perouse Bay.

I loved the horses too. They were well-trained and good natured. It
really is a great stable. They only offer one ride (2 1/2 - 3 hrs )
each day, either morning or at sunset. That means the horses are not
over-worked. They also keep the groups small with a maximum of 6
riders. We were fortunate to have just the three us!

After a quick lunch, my four oldest kids headed out for another
adventure--parasailing. They all loved it and said it was exciting.
They got dipped in the ocean at the end of the ride.

That afternoon John, Molly and I (the non-parasailers) took the little
girls to the beach. The adventurers joined us later and we all watched
the sun set on the gorgeous Maui coast.

Day 4 on the island

Today was a very relaxing, down day. We had a leisurely morning and
took our time getting to the beach. Evan and Ryan snorkeled a little
and Evan brought back this animal to show the little girls. (Don't
worry, he put it right back.) John and I took Lavender on a walk down
the beach and when the sand ended we continued along the coast on a
seemingly-abandoned golf cart path. The weather was perfect and the
views were spectacular.

That afternoon we headed back and stopped at the Kihei Caffe for a
late lunch. Later on we did a little souvenir shopping before Molly
and Ryan left to celebrate their anniversary. Evan was kind enough to
babysit the girls so they could have a night out.

What a peaceful, easy day!

Day 3 on Maui

This morning we were ready to tackle a mountain, so we set out for the
upcountry! it was a beautiful drive into the heart of Maui and our
first stop was in Haiku where we rented bikes for the guys. Brianne
was insulted that she didn't get one!

We began the long, winding (but beautiful) drive to Haleakala National
Park. I was pretty nervous to imagine John and the boys riding back
down the mountain road we climbed. There was not much of a bike lane
and it was very steep with poor visibility.

The visibility wasn't much better at the top. We were disappointed not
to have a view of the island, but we saw lots of lava rock, clouds and
some cool plants. There were no picnic tables, but we found a bench
and ate the lunch we had packed that morning.

Next it was time to launch the guys on their adventure. They headed
down the mountain while we prayed. We left a few minutes after them
and we couldn't believe how far they had gotten when we finally passed
them. They must have been going close to 40 mph and I'm not sure how
they managed those hairpin turns. It was a little scary driving the
car down the mountain, let alone a bike!

Meanwhile, we girls set out on our own adventure. We visited to the
Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm. That may not sound very adventurous, but it
was pretty exciting when the torrential downpour began. We didn't get
to walk through the fields, but we enjoyed the gift shop and the
excitement of driving out on the flooding, muddy roads once the guys
called and asked us to hurry and pick them up so that we could return
the bikes before closing time. We made it back to the bike shop just
in time!

On the way back, I really wanted to stop at the Surfing Goat Dairy
Farm. I had tasted their delicious cheese at Extraordinary Desserts
and I was thrilled when I realized the dairy was in Maui. My family
wasn't quite as thrilled, but they were all good sports. We sampled
the cheese, fed the goats, watched them being milked and even tasted
some of their chocolate truffles. Yum!

Back in Kihei, we stopped at a Halloween Carnival at a local church.
They had food trucks, a petting zoo, live music, a playground and
more. Their trunk or treat was especially impressive. Every car was
cleverly decorated and many had games set up for the kids to play. The
candy was good too! No one handed out a stingy dum-dum or pack or a
mini pack of Smarties. These folks knew how to celebrate Halloween. It
was perfect for the little girls and the big kids enjoyed the candy!

It really was another day in paradise.