Non-Stop since May

 

Our lives are busy. We are in that time of life that if you blink you will miss something. And I'm sure I say this about every stage of life, but right now is my favorite. If I could stop the clock for a bit, Id stop it now!

May started with Greg away in Yellowstone for training meetings. So, we invited the sister missionaries over to celebrate Quinn's 14th birthday. I can hardly believe it myself, Greg and I had those memories that long ago. When I'm at work wrapping Christmas trees in cellaphane, it reminds me so much of opening the sterile bottles in the nursing room at the NICU. Sometimes, I just hug the tree for a minute and breathe in the smell to take me back. (I know I'm weird.)

We decorated our traditional Suzy Zoo cake and shared Quinn's books with Sister Chappell and Sister Hwang.

 

 

 

 



My parents made it over to visit us in May, as well! They stayed for a little over a week, which went by way too fast. But I loved that they were here for a few days while my kids were in school and we had life still going on. I got to have them to myself during the day and I got to show them our lifestyle. And they were able to experience May Day which in and of itself is something to remember. I'm so glad that my kids will have these memories of May Day in elementary school.

But, more on that in a little bit.

Mom and dad came in on Sunday, Mother's Day. It was the best mother's day present for the both of us! So, we did a little bit of upcountry site seeing.
First, we went up to Pulehu Chapel which is really cool because it was dedicated by George Q. Cannon and was the first LDS chapel in the Hawaiian islands.

 

Next we went to say farewell to the girls dance studio. Alexander Academy of Performing Arts has been at this location for 20 years, but the building has been condemed by the county and they are tearing it down. so sad! We drove up to take pictures and show grandma and pa where we used to dance.

 

Then off to the Farm...
some good friends of ours own one of the Maui County Ag lots and farm it to sell their produce at the upcountry Farmer's market every Saturday.
They invited us out to see it and then Greg just started going over to help them because he really does miss farming in Nevada, although he won't admit it.
The kids and I aren't home from swim team until after 6:30, so Greg started going to the farm to help out after work for an hour or two. He says he loves how peaceful it is out there. And he's right. there is just something calming about being at the farm.
Even though its not ours, we claim it and go out when we feel we need some family service time.

This is dad by the breadfruit. The interesting thing about farming in Hawaii is that it's not at all like farming on the mainland. Our friends farm mostly fruits that grow from trees.

We tried corn but, it failed horribly. So did our russet potatoes. But, the onions and sweet potatoes did ok.

 

 Out of all this corn, we got one ear. One! so sad!

 

 Our potatoes before they got a disease and all died. All. more sadness.

 

 I just love my mom!

 

And before we could leave the farm, we had to send Koa up to get us some coconuts! It's pretty scary climbing that wobbly ladder, but Koa is always up to the task.

 

Let's not forget the outhouse that Greg built. Our friends took and old toilet out of their house and brought it down to the farm, so Greg went ahead and made it a home. There are jugs of water in there, too, so you can even flush the toilet into a big hole Greg dug in the back. I'm not too sure how the smell is though. Ha!

 

Our last stop of the evening was at Rice Park to watch the sunset. My pictures never do justice to any of the sunsets I've witnessed here, but I keep trying.

 

Welcome to Hawaii mom and dad!

And I realize that this post is going to just be too long, so I'm going to post now and start another one of more of my parents adventures and our non-stop craziness of the summer of 2017.