Saying Goodbye to the Keith's

December 21, 2010

The Keith kids spent their last day here with us. Poor Patrick and Paul were so tired from all the excitement of moving and being in a hotel. Patrick fell asleep on Sophia and Paul was resting on him. Sophia really loves her Patrick!
This is one family we will miss forever!
It was like having a sister right next door. We leaned on each other for everything:
Watching kids, planning PTSO events, emotional support, etc.

Philip and James were best friends. They were so good for each other!

Daniel and Paul were mischief in the making!

Daniel really misses Paul. There aren't many boys that fit Daniel's personality quite like Paul.

Patrick and Sophia were together every day. They could always make each other smile.

We really miss Patrick!

Cat! I miss her so much!

She is an amazing person and a person to pattern my life after. She is extremely organized, talented, good at dealing with people, and forgiving. She is a great friend!

We really miss them~! We will see them again!

December 7, 2010

This picture was supposed to post with the previous post but didn't for some reason! It is too cute to leave out! Sophia and her favorite man alive, Patrick! Patrick.. we miss you so much!

Hiking Waimea Valley with the Keiths

November 27, 2010

We went for a hike with the Keith family.

All the kids getting ready for the adults to be ready to go.

(James, Paul, Daniel, Patrick, Sophia, Philip)

All the kids looking at the stream and looking for creatures.

Sophia loves being outside!

We worked so hard to get all the kids looking but there wasn't one that had them all.

The covering was so cool. All the leaves over this little walkway was amazing!

Yet another try..

Paul was so excited to get to hold Helena.

All the kids were such troopers to take pictures in all the places we posed them.

This one shows the beautiful scenery behind them a bit better.

Sophia and Patrick walked hand in hand for quite a ways.

They are best buddies!

The river down below in the ravine. You could see the different water levels on the wall.

The Keith Family!

We love this family so much!

We were a little spread out. James had had enough with the picture taking!

Best pals!

The beautiful waterfall!

Say Cheese!

Helena wanted out of the stroller and Sophia always wants her turn to hold her!

Paul was the brave one who wanted to go out into the water. We didn't bring swim suits or I am sure Daniel would have been there with him. Cat said it was pretty cold!

Me taking pictures of Paul and Cat, while Phil took pictures of us!

The boys trying to keep themselves occupied while Paul was in the water.

So cute!

Paul and Sophia playing with Helena

The panoramic view of the 'lake'.

Sterling and the kids watching the waterfall.

I like this panoramic view, Cat and Paul on one end and Sterling and the kids watching on the ledge on the other.

I did it.. I got Phil back, here is a picture of Phil taking pictures of the waterfall and the kids in front.

Paul was so brave!!!

Nothing like a little Oreo snack to rev you up for the hike back down!

This was Sophia's favorite plant on the whole hike. I don't know what it is called but this is what the 'flowers' looked like.

She liked all the pink flowers!

The boys had to find the frogs in the 'swamp' Nature Preserve near the entrance/ end of the hike.

We had a really great time with the Keith family for our last outing with them.

They are such a great family!!!

Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving Day and unfortunately the only pictures I took this year of Daniel and Sophia wearing Daniels hats he made in Kindergarten.

Daniel is wearing the ever so stylish 'Turkey Leg hat' while Sophia is sporting the 'Indian Feathers' hat. Both are designed by Mrs. Glenn, Daniels fabulous Kindergarten teacher, and made by none other than the ever talented Daniel Packer. One day these very hats will be worth MILLIONS!

We had a great day! The boys started the morning off with a trip to Hickam Beach with Sterling while I prepared the turkey and vegetables and things for dinner. Once the boys got back from the beach we played Sorry, the board game, and had some great family time. We had our really great friends, the Keiths, over for Thanksgiving dinner as we have every year we have been in Hawaii. This is our last Thanksgiving in Hawaii and it was great. After eating WAY TOO MUCH FOOD, we played Ticket To Ride with Phil and Cat while the kids played outside. By the end of the night we were all very tired from a long day but it was great! We are truly blessed!

Laie Temple Open House

We went on Tuesday, Nov 2nd, to the Laie Temple Open House. We have wanted to go since it started in October but Sterling has been gone and we wanted to go as a family.

They have changed a few things, added air conditioning to most of the rooms, added elevators, and some other things. It is very beautiful!

We took our good friends, our "Hawaii Family" the Keith's with us.

We can't wait to go back in just a few weeks and have Helena sealed to our family!

Poly Lookout Hike - Labor Day - Sept 6, 2010

The Keith Family and Packer Family. The whole tribe at the beginning of the hike.

The Keith Family is our 'family' in Hawaii!

It was such a beautiful day!

We couldn't get Daniel to put down the stick but we are all in the picture!

Everything was so green and amazing!

We started out the hike with everyone going at their own pace!

I was at the end, because I wanted pictures of it all.

There are things about Hawaii I will miss when we leave.

I love trees! I also love Sterling!

Why not put them in a picture together?

There were hundreds of different kinds of plants and flowers all along our hike!

Sophia and Patrick were such troopers. They walked the whole way down and at least half of the way back up.

My favorite was when they walked holding each other's hands. They are so cute together. They love to play together and have huge HUGE meltdowns when we separate them.

Such cute kids!

All the kids stopped for a break to look over the scenic wall.

They were sure they could see which drivers were wearing their seat belts on the freeway below. It was comical.

5 boys and Phia.. but she holds her own!

Sterling pulling the "Shaka" or Hang loose as they say on the mainland, just for you!

This valley was so amazing. At certain times of the year it has a waterfall, but not today!

Yep.. it was amazing to look at!

More cool flowers!

And some type of berry things...

Mr. Phil's turn to pull the train of toddlers.

... more cool flowers.

I liked these ones the most!

Helena and I enjoyed the hike as well when it wasn't too windy and I wasn't too sweaty. Sophia wouldn't pose with us~

Daniel is affectionately called the 'nutter' around our area. His imagination is a mile wide and he is a silly guy. He found this stick and said it was his violin. He was very proud because it even had the place for his chin/neck. I will try and load a video. He sang a very twangy version of Rocky Top Tennessee while 'playing' his violin. Miss Cat said it was closer to fiddling than a violin, but Daniel was pleased with it non-the-less.

We had a view for as far as the eye could see.. it was spectacular!

pretty amazing!

When we got back up to the top right between the ridges it was so windy. The kids were having a great time playing in the wind. The couple in the background is protected by the wall from the wind so they look pretty calm, but the boys are having a great time playing in the wind tunnel.

Being blown away, Sterling was busy chasing hats and towels.

Sophia thought it was fun because the boys thought it was fun. At first she wasn't so sure but once the boys were playing in it she figured she should too.

James looks like he is standing in front of a huge fan!

Paul in the wind.

Mr. Phil was having a hard time keeping his feet on the ground!

(Maybe not but the picture looks cool!)

Philip and James were holding on to the sign to figure out how Phil got his feet off the ground.

It was pretty windy!

It was a great hike for our families! We love the Keith family and will miss them dearly when they move.

We really had a great time.

5 little ducks went out to play... over the hill and far away...

This is what I will always remember!

Has anyone figured out how to keep them this little!

She is potty trained and at the best stage of her life!

These were all the funny signs in the parking lot. Most of them were very unique!

This is the plaque for the hike that we went on.

Amazing things were done in the 1800's!