The Little Blue Church, and the Kauai Marriott Hotel - Hawaii 2013

Marriott's Kauai Beach Club is located on beautiful Kalapaki Beach.  The beach is rated one of the best swimming beaches in the Hawaiian Islands. This is our second time to visit the Kauai Marriott Beach Club as a family. It is one of our favorite resorts. We are familiar with the hotel, the area, the tourist attractions, as well as places to shop.  We feel very comfortable and in our element at this pristine resort.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint's - Little Blue Church - is our favorite place to worship on Sunday morning.  It is a very old church, but the worship is the same where ever you go.  We were surprised to see one of Katelyn's friends, Chancy Wilson, as a greeter as we entered.  He is currently serving a mission in the Hawaiian Islands.

At the end of sacrament meeting, each guest is asked to stand, as the ward sings a aloha song, and presents us with knitted leis.  We love spending time with the warm ward members.

The Little Blue Church.

Our family - minus Ben - he had a wardrobe mishap and wouldn't be in the picture.

Elder Wilson, and Sister Brown.

Lizzy enjoying the outdoors.

Kalapaki Beach - and crew.

Kauai Marriott Beach Club Resort

Kauai Marriott Beach Club Resort. 

Pool Time

Fun in the sun.

Dinner

Mike's Seminary Graduation 2013

Mike graduated from seminary, on Sunday, June 2nd. President Eyring was the key-note speaker. He speaks at most of his grand children's seminary graduations. We were privileged to have him at ours. He is such a warm speaker, and told wonderful stories about his life, that will definitely motivate this great group of kids to do great things.

It is a requirement in many missions to have their missionaries be seminary graduates.

Friends

Our Hawaiian Vacation has been in the plans for quite some time.  We will be gone, Sunday, June 7th, when 3 of these boys' have their missionary farewells.  We are so sad we are going to miss their farewell address.  We decided to have a farewell dinner with these three families and a couple other of our Woods Cross sports friends.

We have known these families for quite some time.  Steve coached their boys in baseball and basketball, and finished as assistant basketball coach.  Many of them were pall bears at his funeral, wearing the team jersey.

The Gordan Brown, Cowley, Barton, Jacobsen, Farnes, families, as well as our family got together for a homemade Cafe' Rio Night.  I loved listening to the funny stories they remembered about Steve.  The story of Dixie Boy, and the delicate flower were among my favorites.  Steve was a laugh and a half.  Life was funner with him around.  We miss him.

Seminary graduation was the same night, so Mike and I had to leave a little early.  We are really going to miss all these great boys'.  We love these families.  My how life changes so quickly.

Mike, Shawn, Mikey, Josh, Skyler, Jake, and Brady

Mike, Anchorage Alaska; Brady, Czechoslovakia;  Skyler, South Africa Jake, Toyoko Japan; Mikey,  and Shawn, Benin-Togo Africa

The boys'.

High School Graduation

The Bountiful High School Class of 2013 graduated at the Bountiful Regional Center in North Salt Lake on June 7th.  Mike Graduated with High Honors ( grade point average of 3.8 or above); Citizenship Honors; and with a gold medallion representing the National Honors Society.  In other words.....smart kid, good kid.  I'm pretty proud of this kid!  Love him!

End of Year Assembly

The MPJH School in-coming and out-going cheerleaders performed at the End of Year Assembly.  Lizzy is excited to cheer with many of her friends.  Eight grade was great, and 9th grade should be even better.  It's always nice to be at the 'top of the food chain'.   

Liz, Baylee, Aly

Introductions

Preforming

School's Out for Summer

I keep singing the words to Alice Cooper's song, School's Out For Summer.  Those are the only lyrics of the song I know, but I couldn't be happier that this school year is over.  Ben's fourth grade year at Valley View Elementary School has definitely been my least favorite year for him. The lyrics of the chorus to Taylor Swift's song, I Knew You Were Trouble,  sum up his year.  The words to the chorus are:  Oh, Oh, trouble, trouble...... In defense of Ben, the rules at Valley View Elementary are a little over-the-top.  If you have a child there, you know what I mean.  He is a good kid, full of energy and life.  He is no trouble to me, just delightful.

On the positive side, Ben is a very intelligent kid.  His report card, and end of leveling testing reflect his smartness.  Ben proudly showed me some of his work from this semester.  Among other things, I was so impressed with his writing abilities.  These are a few of my favorites.

Yay, for summer!  It couldn't come fast enough for me!

Sleep Over

Before Mason was born, Quinn painted Sarah's old room so Mason would have a more "color appropriate" room to sleep in when he visited.  When I tend him three days a week, this is the crib he sleeps in.  He would rather sleep in my bed, but it is not safe.  He struggles to nap in cribs, but we have been persistent, and I think he is catching on.

Meagan and Mason had a sleep over Saturday Night.  After getting ready for bed, Mason crawled into Bella's bed. Bella has the sibling rivalry thing going on with Mason, and wasn't too fond of the situation. Meagan finally got Mase to sleep in the crib.  He woke up every hour.  Finally, at 5:00 a.m. she left and went home with him.  In the morning we found an empty room, with the bed made.

Kate thinks there is an evil spirit in that room, and that we should call Ghost Busters.  I think we had a teething baby.

Mason's room at Nana's house.

Bella and Mason.

.....and......they're gone.

Fishing

Strawberry Reservoir is one of Utah's premier fishing spots. It is located in Wasatch County.  Most people fish from boats, but Saturday, Mike and Ben fished from the shore.  They prepared days in advance for this fun little trip.  Ben couldn't be more excited to spend time with his brother.  Mike packed them a nice lunch, and gathered all the fishing gear.

They caught several fish, but threw them back. The limit at Strawberry is 4 fish. There are many rules as to how big or small a fish must be in order to keep.  "No more than 2 may be cutthroat trout under 15 inches, and no more than 1 may be a cutthroat trout over 22 inches.  All cutthroat trout from 15 to 22 inches must be immediately released."

Needless to say, Mike and Ben came home empty handed, with pictures of their catches.

Awards Assembly

Mike received scholarship money for Weber State University and Utah State.  His has deferred his college acceptances and scholarship due to his call to serve a mission.  He has a couple years to think about his options.  Proud of this boy!

Michael McCann, and Mike.

Lost

Remember Ben's friend Corbin?  Friday, Ben was invited to Corbin's to play.  Ridge (another friend of Ben's), and Ben were meeting at Corbins'. I haven't ran into Corbin's Dad since 'the incident'.  I was hoping to miss him when I dropped Ben off.  I'm still healing a little.

When I arrived home, Kate watched Mason while I got on the treadmill and showered for the day. Mason is getting some more teeth and was a little needy.  I was attending to his needs, when I saw Ben poke his head in.  "I thought you were at Corbin's," I questioned.  "Well, Corbin's mom brought us all up here," he responded.  I got distracted with other things, and soon lost track of Ben and friends.

After awhile, I couldn't find them. "Where is Ben and his friends," I asked Katelyn and Lizzy.  "We don't know, we haven't seen them," they responded.  I started searching everywhere.  No Ben and friends.  "Maybe they went to the golf club house for a snack," Kate mentioned. Off to the golf course I went.  No Ben and friends.  "Maybe they are at the baseball fields," Lizzy suggested.  Nope.....

After one hour and a half of frantically looking for them Kate called to inform me that Ben's friend's parents are now at our house to pick up their boys.  "Don't worry, I told them they were on a walk. You better hurry and find them," she stated.  How in the world am I going to admit to the parents' that I have lost their boys'.  Especially, Corbin's Dad who already has to wonder about me.

Soon after Ben called from some one's cell phone.  "I heard you were looking for me," he stated matter-of-factly.  Needless to say, I was NOT happy with Ben, and he was grounded for the night.  I picked him up at the ballpark.  Somehow Lizzy and I didn't see them our first drive through.

You know my rule, "Kids can't have cell phones until Junior High?"  Well I might be breaking that rule!

Memorial Day 2013

Early morning hike.

Cleaning the grave-site and tombstone.

 My babies from oldest to youngest.

Early morning deliveries, and end of day.

Mason visiting Grandpa.

My beautiful family!

Missing Steve, sure love him!

Lunch at Hires.

Missionary shopping.
Barbecue with the Browns'.
Happy Memorial Day!