Our Tu'akoi Reunion Has Come 2 An End. . . . :(

This past week we had our Tu'akoi reunion. It started early Monday morning w/breakfast @ Linda & Dave's house. After breakfast, we headed 2 the gas station 2 gas up & check everyone's tire pressure. :D Once we were all good, we headed 4 our drive up 2 Bear Lake. What was supposed 2 be an hour & a half drive turned into a 3 1/2 hour drive. We had some delays on our journey up, but I'm HAPPY 2 report that we FINALLY made it there. And SAFELY 4 that matter. Lol. :D

We camped out from Mon-Thur. It was filled w/activities 4 both the kids & the adults. We had clean up crews every night as well as different cooking crews. Can I get an 'AMEN' 4 how ORGANIZED & WELL PLANNED this trip was?? Hahahaha!! It was FANTASTIC!! :D I loved every minute of it & it has been a WONDERFUL way 2 kick off our summer!! :D Before we all headed home 4rom the camp, Dave took family pictures of all of us @ the lake & even though we were ALL in our 'MORNING LOOKS' . . . . .I'm still looking 4ward 2 seeing them. :D Lol.

We enjoyed quality time 2gether as a family & got 2 know each other more. It brought our families ALL closer 2gether & if only 4 that. . . . .it would've been well worth it. But we got a ton more than we BARGAINED 4. :D Our kids got 2 know each other better, we created GREAT memories, we worked 2gether as a TEAM on several different activities as well as just being 2gether on cook days/nights & the list goes on. . . . . .Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures on my camera while @ camp since my charger was M.I.A. :( But everyone else took a ton of pics so as soon as they post theirs. . . . .I'll be sure 2 jack 'em. Hahaha!! Lol.

We ended our reunion 2night w/a dance. We had several different programs prepared & we all DANCED our hearts away 2 the AWESOME music provided by DJ SEAGULL 4 LIFE, BABY!! Hahahaha!! :D (Such an inside joke) Here are some pics 4rom the dance 2night. :D We had a BLAST & can't wait 2 do it again next year!! Woo hoo!! :D We love you Tu'akoi & Finau families!! :D

Yay!! We Have The Rest Of Our Family Pics!! :D

Sila came by our house last night & dropped off our picture discs w/the rest of our pictures on it. And I'm so EXCITED & HAPPY w/the way they came out. :D Thank you so much 2 our MOST FAVORITE photographer, Priscilla Falatea, 4 sharing your AMAZING talent w/us. We LOVE the results & can't wait 2 order our ENLARGED print(s) thru you. :D Here are some of our FAVES:

Kelly Clarkson What?? Lol. . . . .

This past Thursday, Kassie & I drove down 2 Orem & met up w/my cousins 4 the Kelly Clarkson concert. It was only $15 general admission & was worth every penny spent. :D So being that we're both sooooo PREGO, lol, as soon as we entered the gates we headed straight 4 the concessions in the stadium cause we were STARVING!! Hahahaha!! And we weren't subtle, @ all, about our separate orders. Our orders were filled w/churros, hot dogs, pizzas & every choice of chocolate available there. Lol. . . . .or was that my order alone?? Hahahaha. . . . .

My cousin, Line, emailed me some pics 4rom the event yesterday & I totally jacked the ones Kassie posted. Lol. Ahhhh. . . . .the joys of not having a charger 4 my camera. Boooo. . . . So here they are:

We had a GREAT time so a BIG SHOUT OUT 2 Line 4 the invite. Kelly Clarkson is so TIGHT live & the next time she comes out 2 UT, I'll be taking my girls along w/me. If I wasn't pregnant?? I'm sure I would've remembered 2 get them tickets as well, but I totally 4got about the concert 'til the day of. Lol. As soon as she performed Kassie & I's fave, 'Since You've Been Gone,' we were up & on our way out of the stadium so we could TRY 2 beat traffic. Keyword here: TRY. Hahahaha!! We had a GREAT time hanging out & it was so much FUN catching up!! Thanks 2 my BESTEST 4 coming out!! Love you tons Kass!! And it's always GREAT seeing my most FAVORITE cousin everrr!! Love you Line. . . . .oh yeah & Jackie, too!! Lol.

'First Stake In Mongolia Is Organized'

The north Asian nation of Mongolia now has its first stake of Zion. On Sunday, June 7, Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy organized the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia West Stake.

Elder Hallstrom said that establishing the gospel in our lives and in the lives of our family is just as important as establishing stakes, districts, wards and branches. Elder Joseph Chung, an Area Seventy from Taiwan, spoke of building Zion where we are.

Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission President D. Allen Andersen thanked all of the young missionaries, senior couples and mission presidents who had served in the mission since the land was dedicated for missionary work in April 1993 by Elder Neal A. Maxwell.

Newly-called stake president O. Odgerel said, “In these Latter-days, God has given us a promise to create Zion. In order to build Zion, we need to have stakes. However, one stake is not enough to build Zion, so I believe that this is just the beginning of the great work of our Mongolian saints to establish more stakes.”

A total of 1,230 members crowded into the Mongolian Union Cultural Center to witness the historic event. The Church was first registered in Mongolia in 1994. The first missionaries came soon thereafter. Since then, Church membership in the north Asian country has grown to over 8,800. Now a stake and two districts, with 20 congregations among them, are spread across a vast and scenic land of desert and mountains.

The Ulaanbaatar Mongolia District was divided into the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia West Stake and Ulaanbaatar Mongolia East District. The new stake presidency, five bishops in the new stake and a new district presidency of the Ulaanbaatar East District were called and sustained during the conference. Almost all of the bishops and branch presidents in the new stake and district are endowed.

This year, five trips to the Hong Kong China Temple are planned from Mongolia. To attend the temple, as many as 40 members travel together on a three-day train ride across China.

“Their devotion to the temple has played an important role in the members’ preparation for a stake,” said President Andersen.

B. Batzorigt, first counselor of the newly-created Ulaanbaatar East District presidency, explained that they now see what their goal should be.

“We need to work hard so that our district will become a stake,” he said, “Then we can strive to have a temple built in Mongolia.”

Elder Maxwell, in his dedicatory prayer said: “May Mongolia ever be a beacon light to other nations.”

Over the past 16 years, Mongolia’s 20 fledgling branches have sent out more than 650 missionaries.

At the last Ulaanbaatar Mongolia District Conference it was announced that there were 120 missionaries serving from the district. Currently, there are 115 Mongolian missionaries serving within the country. Another 40 now serve or have received calls to countries such as Japan, the United States, Australia, Korea and the Czech Republic.

Speaking of the historic occasion, Stake President O. Odgerel said, “I believe that the organization of the stake will not only bless the members in Mongolia, but it will bless our whole country.”

This is one of the many happs going on in our church right now. How GREAT is that?? I think it's AMAZING & shows the continual & ongoing GROWTH of our church. What an unbelieveable time 2 be alive on this earth. Such great things are happening around the world. :D

Last Week Of School Is Coming 2 An End. . . . .

So today's Thursday, which makes 2morrow the last of school 4 our girls & I'm SUPER EXCITED!!  :D  I always figured that the last day of school was filled w/not that much 2 do, but clean up, play games & just have fun.  Lol.  Well, apparently I'm wrong.  The girls have been PRETTY busy this last week of school.  :D  

Aaliyah kicked off the beginning of the week w/a field trip 2 BYU.  They toured a museum on campus.  I wasn't able 2 go, again, since there were already enough parent volunteers who signed up.  :(  Yesterday, Liyah & Lote, had class parties where they watched movies, had activities & chowed down on some goodies all day.  And now 2day, Aaliyah has her 'Bike Rodeo' that's being hosted by the South Jordan Police Dept.  

I think it's so GREAT that they're being PRODUCTIVE all the way til the last day of school.  :D  They are all encouraged 2 bring their bikes 2 school 2day so they can participate in an obstacle course that's been setup.  How cool is that??  I have no recollection of having events like this in elementary when I was younger.  Lol.  I swear the HIGHLIGHT of my elementary life was looking 4ward 2 the day when the police dept, fire dept, & ambulance came & did their demos flashing their lights & sounding off their sirens.  Hahahaha. . . . .And since my kids don't have helmets. . . . .cause we like 2 pride ourselves in our heritage & act like we don't need 'em. . . .she'll be getting one 4rom school 2day.  $10 & she gets 2 choose 4rom a variety of styles & designs.  :D  I know I know. . . .terrible, right??  Lol.  Well, I have that @ the top of my 'to do' list now & will be getting each & every one of our kids a helmet w/knee pads.  :D  

Now I need 2 flip this house upside down & find my camera charger.  I need 2 capture these memories cause they fly by so quickly & before I know it. . . . .these girls will be off 2 college & out of the house.  Lol.  So on that note. . . .I hope you're all having a FANTASTIC rest of the week!! :D  I'm looking 4ward 2 my lunch date w/my BESTEST, Kass. . . .It's been too long sis!!  :D