Sacramento Temple

Our Ward had a temple day and they invited everyone from the ward to participate.  Since I am now serving in Primary, we invited the children down to do activities, crafts, and tour the outside of the temple while their parents were inside.  It was a lot of fun talking about the temple with the children and showing them the beautiful temple grounds.  Even though we didn't have a big turn out (only 12 children out of 25) and it was VERY hot outside, it was still wonderful to be at the temple together.

Ice Skating

What do you do on a HOT summer day . . . you go ice skating!  

The kids had never been before, so I thought it was about time.  Kiana invited her friend Grace down from Chico and we made a trip to Sacramento to the ice skating rink.  It was fun to bundle up in warm, winter clothes on a hot, summer day.  The kids did great!  They started out in the learning area where you hold on to a stack of buckets until you can balance on your own.  It didn't take long before they were out on the floor skating like professionals.  We only had one bad fall, but some snacks & a helmet gave them confidence to try it again.  

Random Hawaii Pics!

You always come across random pictures that you've taken while on vacation.  Here are a few . . . . 

There are a lot of ABC stores in Hawaii.  

We had to get a picture with Andrea since her initials are ABC.

Cool looking ink art (aka tattoo)

We spent a lot of time being cozy on car rides--so much fun!

(some of the time).

We can't forget the beautiful rainbow we saw in Kaui

We kept busy on our trip--I think we wore Grandpa out!

(It looks like he's reading, but he's taking a little snooze.)

Some evenings our resort would serve popcorn and show outdoor movies on a big screen.

Enjoying our last day . . . .

We really wanted to take the kids to Hanauma Bay, but it was closed the day we decided to go.  BUMMER! 

Here are some pictures to show the beauty of this popular landmark.

Maybe next time . . . .

We did make one more sightseeing stop to Nu'uanu Pali Lookout.

This was a great way to end our trip, enjoying the beautiful sights of Hawaii!

Until next time . . . . 

Polynesian Cultural Center

Our final stop for the day was the Polynesian Cultural Center.

"The Polynesian Cultural Center features six Polynesian "islands" in a beautifully landscaped, 42-acre setting representing Fiji, Hawaii, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Samoa, Tahiti and Tonga. Additional island exhibits include the great mo'ai statues and huts of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and the islands of Marquesas. A beautiful man-made freshwater lagoon winds throughout the Center. Each "island" offers entertainment as well as hands-on activities that the entire family can enjoy."

Meet our funny authentic Samoan.  He taught us how to speak Samoan, start a fire, and crack open a coconut.  

His show was hilarious!

During his show we were able to see how to retrieve a coconut.  

You simply climb the tree and bring it down.  

(This guy made it look too easy)

Now this is will be a picture we'll talk about for years!

After touring around the center and learning about many different cultures and places, we were treated to a traditional Hawaiian Luau, complete with a flower lei, roasted pig,
and entertainment during dinner.

Seth's favorite was the pineapple drink!

What a fun loving family!

After the luau dinner, we were able to go to the evening show;
Ha, Breath of Life.

It was an outdoor theater with lots of music
and traditional Hawaiian dancing.

Hawaii Temple

Our next stop was the Laie Hawaii Temple

It was BEAUTIFUL!

BYU Hawaii

We had a lot of places we wanted to see while in Oahu.

BYU Hawaii was our first stop.

It was a beautiful campus. You could even see the Hawaii temple from the college.  We took a lot of pictures so we could show them to our friend Hannah, who will be attending school here in the fall.

Heading to Oahu

And we're off again!

This time we're headed to the island of Oahu

We have another room with a view,  but as you can see from these pictures, we have now ventured to the busy, touristy island city of Honolulu.

Hawaii Day 5 (Sightseeing)

On Day 5 we did some sightseeing . . . .

Before everyone woke up, Andrea, Aaron, & I 

went for a mini walk/hike near our hotel to Shipwreck Beach.

"Shipwreck Beach was named for an old wooden shipwreck that has long since disappeared.  Known for its strong currents and beautiful trails, this beach is perfect for hiking and fishing."

The view on top was BEAUTIFUL!

Of course you have to go to Hilo Hatties when you're in Hawaii.  Kiana was able to pick out her very own oyster and found 2 pearls inside.

 Our next stop was Wailua Falls

More sights to see!

Towards the end of the day we stopped by Old Kloa Town and did some fun souvenir shopping, along with taking some great pictures with some of the locals.

Before we headed back, we had one more historic photo shoot by the tree tunnel. 

It was a busy, but fun day!

Hawaii Day 3 & 4

On day 3 we decided to rent some surf boards and try out a new beach.

We tried to have fun, but it didn't last very long.  This beach was VERY WINDY!  The sand from the beach felt like pins & needles on our arms and legs.

So the next day we decided to head back to the beach where the kids learned to swim. Aaron and Kiana did some more snorkeling and Andrea tried to share some of her new surfing knowledge with Kiana.

Fun with the Family

 Thanks Seth, for helping us carry all of our things. 

Good Eats & New Friends!

Not only did we find some great pizza for Seth's birthday, we also found some other amazing food spots to try while in Kauai.  Here are some of a few . . . .

 Andrea ordered "Pups in the Mud" (aka sliced hot dogs & chili)

 Jo Jo's Shaved Ice

WOW!  Choose from 60 Flavors--YUM!

 BBQing homemade hamburgers

This food item was a cross between a corn dog and a hot dog with a yummy sweet filling.

Bubba's Burgers!

Awesome burgers plus a souvenir hat!

We all scream for ice cream!

We also made some new friends . . . . 

(Chickens roam freely in Hawaii and the birds LOVE to be fed!)