ABC's and Huggies

Between Sitani's sudden interest in singing the ABC's and his sparatic yell for "huggie,  huggie", he is growing up whether we like it or not.  (I even found him saying "huggie, huggie" to the huge, pink, overstuffed teddy bear that Haini bought Marley for Valentines. I think we have a softy on our hands.  I love it.)

Life From Down There

Marley got 4 shots yesterday and is still managing to smile.  I took these pictures because she is always looking up. It must be a different world down there. She is like my little vacuum with her little pincher fingers. She seems to pick up everything. She is also into the clapping thing. She gets really excited when she sees Haini and she starts clapping and jumping. I look back at this time last year, and remember the doctors saying that she had so many complications and such.  They said things like spina bifida, or downs, or complete mental retardation so rare that she most likely wouldn't even make it to birth.  It is a miracle that she is healthy and strong.  We are so thankful for her and can't wait for all the fun things she'll want to tell us.  She is such a pleasant laid-back girl. I think that she got that from her daddy.  (She got her cuteness from her mommy.) Okay, that was just a joke!!! Hahahaha. 

Inside Fun

Okay, so if you can't play on the playground outside, bring it inside. Christy got this blow up jumper and so we turned it on inside and let the kids bounce around in it. Sitani has never slept so good. 

The Day We Saw Sun

Whoever said that you can't go to the park when it is a freezing cold 35 Degrees and wet and snowy everywhere?  (If you would like your child to have an eternal runny nose fountain then I highly suggest it.)  It was a blast and heaven knows we needed the sun on our pasty bodies. (P.S. The whole helmet thing is getting out of control. He wouldn't take it off.)

Stairway to Heaven

Snowboarding with Nata

Going home

Literally Five Seconds Later

Why God Made Moms

Okay so these are answers given by 

2nd grade school children. 

I thought that it was hilarious.

Why did God make mothers?

1. She's the only one who know where the scotch tape is.

2. Mostly to clean the house.

3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?

1. He used dirt, just like the rest of us.

2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.

3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?

1. God make mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.

2. They had to get their start from men's bones.  Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?

1. We're related.

2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?

1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.

2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.

3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?

1. His last name.

2. She had to know his background.  Like is he a crook. Does he get drunk on beer?

3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say no to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did you mom marry your dad?

1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world and my mom eats a lot.

2. She got too old to do anything else with him.

3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?

1. Mom doesn't want to be the boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.

2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.

3.  I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms and dads?

1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.

2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.

3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.

4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?

1. Mothers don't do spare time.

2. To hear her tell it, she pays the bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?

1. On the inside, she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.

2. Dye it.  You know, her hair. I'd dye it, maybe blue.

If you could change on thing about your mom, what would it be?

1. She has this weird thing about keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.

2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.

3. I'd like her to get rid of those invisible eyes in the back of her head.

I love you Mom!!  Happy LATE Valentines Day!!

President Hinckley

I was at a baptism on Saturday morning for one of the boys in my class. One of the men who gave a talk said that he went to the Friday night viewing of President Hinckley. He said that it was amazing how there were people who had come and waited in line for over 3 hours. He said that it was a fun to see families together and that there was a lot of kids who were playing and adults who were talking about President Hinckley. He then went on to say that it was amazing to see the faces of parents and children as they passed the prophet and then took the stairs on down to leave the Conference Center. He said that you could tell who had already seen the prophet by their countenances. There was a spirit of reverence even on the young children. He then went on to say that as they were leaving the Conference Center they noticed that there were clouds moving all about the sky but there was a constant opening above the Center. You could see straight up to a clear sky with the stars shining down. They watched the clouds move and the opening stay there. I have to wonder if the heavens were able to be there. I wonder if they got to take a break from missionary work to attend the viewing as well.
It has been a good week as I have remembered this great prophet that we have grown up with. I thought about what an impact he has had in many personal experiences in my life. I read his book while in high school "Standing for Something." It helped me a lot as there were only around 6-9 members in my high school and two of them were Daniel and Laura.  I first got to see him as a Freshman at BYUH when I was homesick. I realized, then, that BYUH was where I needed to be at that time in my life.  I waited for him to come into the temple the morning that I first saw Haini. I sang in a choir when he rededicated the temple grounds. He spoke at my graduation and I was able to pass in front of him and see his smile up close. His son was Haini's mission president and a great role-model, whom we have been able to talk with a couple of times.
As I watched his funeral on T.V. Saturday morning, I couldn't help but to be overcome with emotions of happiness for the great man that he was. Even though I never met him and got to talk to him, he has managed to be there in many important parts of my life. I will miss him so much. He truly was a Prophet of the Lord.

Haini got to see Elder Hinckley (his mission president) at my Graduation. We have been able to shake his hand, I think, three times and each time he shakes my hand and tells me that Haini is Tongan but he really has a Fijian last name. It is so funny because as his wife you would think that I would already know that. I just smile and politely laugh.  He is a good man and has left a profound impact on Haini.  Out of all the people he knows and missionaries that he looked over, he always seems to remember Haini from the mission.  It is amazing.

100 Years Old

Okay...before you all freak out and think that I have fallen off my rocker... It was our 100th day of school last Thursday and so we decided to dress up like 100 year old Grannies.  I gotta say, that it was pretty crazy.  I got all my grandma clothes from my own closet. Pretty scary-huh. Well it was fun and the kids laughed so hard. One little girl even told me to chew my food slowly at lunch or else I would choke.  hahahaha.  (I have to mention that I have managed to totally BIFF it in the snow twice this week. Both times I totally fell right on my back.) Haini is convinced that I really am 100 years old.

Our 2nd Grade Team

Me

Alisa

Jayme

Jaime

Teresa