Wasatch Elementary Presents. . . . .

That's the name of the new elementary school the girls go to. It's not exactly new, by any means, but it's new to them since the move. Last night they had their Christmas Program to kick off the holiday season. And it was GREAT!! I was so impressed by the way it was all put together & most importantly. . . .the promptness of getting the kids on & off the stage. Mind you, these are all elementary aged children K-6th grade. It was AWESOMENESS in it's fullest power. If that makes any sense. Lol. The performances were so organized, simple, but very entertaining. Here are some pics from the night. It totally got me in the holiday spirit & I'm so ready 4 Christmas!! Excited!! :D

Thanksgiving's Over Already??

December is in FULL SWING & I'm still recovering from Thanksgiving. Lol. Maybe cause Hoko came home for a 4 day visit & I'm wishing he was still here. :( But I'm so grateful that he's still working & providing for us. He's in Kalamazoo, MI. Exactly 1,521.78 driving miles away, which would take 22 hrs & 26 min of driving time to get there all the while driving through 5 states!! Wow!! This is the 1st time he's working in the eastern time zone. He's been there since Sept & last week was the 1st visit home he got. :( But we had such a BLAST!!

Ugh. . . .so far

As soon as we picked him up from the airport, we headed straight to the Gateway for some much needed family time. We watched MEGAMIND, which I must add was soooo flippin' HILLARIOUS!! We loved it!! :D After that, we bought the kids some food & met up with my parents at a bakery downtown & they went with grandma & grandpa for a sleep over. Hoko & I were long overdue for an anniversary date night. After all, it was only our 10 yr anniversary that just passed in October. Lol.



Hoko asked me where I wanted to go & I immediately said, "TEXAS ROADHOUSE!!" I'm a die hard steak & potatoes kinda girl & I've been dying to try this place out. It was my first time there & they did NOT disappoint. We got their famous cheese fries as well as their complementary dinner rolls with honey butter. Mmmm Mmmm GOOD!! It was DEE-LISH!! We weren't even able to finish our main course. So we boxed it up & headed home. Hoko hadn't seen our new place that we've made HOME at, but I was so happy that he LOVED it just as much as I do. :D



The next day was Thanksgiving & our first stop was my parents house. Everything was ON POINT that I couldn't stop eating. I was STUFFED. And yet we still had Hoko's family dinner to head to. :D It was a GREAT day/evening. The kids were so full that they hella knocked out on the drive home, which made it easier for Hoko & I to sneak out & check out Walmart for black Friday that started at midnight. But that didn't last long. When we got there, there were no carts available. It was too packed to even walk around. And we weren't prepared with any kind of list on what to get and what was on sale. So we quietly turned around & walked out of the store totally empty handed. Lol. Which was GREAT for our bank acct anyway. Hahaha. . . .We came straight back home & slept the night away. :D Which was even better. :D






The next day we headed to the 'LIGHTS UP' celebration at Temple Square. Met up with my sis, Fine & her family. And they came totally equipped for the night with a cooler of cocoa that we made good use of cause it was FREEEEZZZZZIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGG!! We had a blast as we do every year & even had the chance to run into Sister Lautaha. :D I'm so proud of her. And just the day before, we had the wonderful opportunity of running into Elder Lautaha. :D I'm truly blessed & I love my families all so much!! :D














Saturday night came & it was Hoko's last night. We decided to head to the Junction, which is pretty much the hotspot here in downtown Ogden. That place is AWESOME!! There's so much to do. Bowling, swimming, skydiving, surfing, restaurants galore, movies & more. :D We went out to eat with the kids at Golden Corral & then headed to the Megaplex 13 to watch 'TANGLED.' Another CUTE movie to add to the collection of movies we've seen this year. :D The girls LOVED it!! :D It was a GREAT way to spend Hoko's last night in town. But I'm happy to report that he should be home in a couple of weeks for the rest of the winter months that he gets to spend at home with us. :D Yay!! :D I love him so much!! :D

I'm A Big Kid Now. . . . :D

It's definitely been a while since I've posted on here. So much has happened in my life & it seems that I haven't been able to find time to sit down & gather my thoughts together. Crazy how this is absolutely 'normal' for a mother of six w/half in school & the other half at home. Well, maybe it's just my 'normal.' I don't know, but somewhere in between the cracks, my 'ME' time is nowhere to be found. Lol. Anyways, moving on to what's been going on with 'US'

We've cut the chord & made the move away from mom & dad. We're OFFICIALLY on our own & happily singing the ending to the Toys 'R Us song. . . ."I'm a big kid NOW." Lol. As funny as that may sound, that small phrase holds so many truths & has so many different meanings attached to it. I prayed for quite a while on where we should relocate to. It was such a BIG step for us. I wanted to make sure it was the RIGHT one as well. When I was first looking into going back to school, Weber State University was always so attractive because of the fact that tuition was so cheap as well as housing in Ogden. But when I mentioned it to Hoko, he was pretty firm that we would never live here. Well, that has changed & this is where we are making a home for our growing family for the next couple of years. :D And I'm happy to say that it's been the BEST decision thus far.

One of the benefits that it has brought to the future of our family is EDUCATION. Education is something that has never been taken lightly in my upbringing. I grew up the daughter of a medical doctor as well as a mother that attended nursing school in Fiji. She never finished because she started a family unexpectedly. My parents are converts to the church & didn't become members until after my sister, Lote was already in elementary. They migrated us here to the states in 1989. As soon as my mom was given the chance, she went & sat for her GED so that she could enroll in college. She graduated with a double major from Columbia College with a major in psychology & a minor in business. How's that for being out of school for over 20+ yrs. And she is currently working on her masters degree in public health. She's my role model of someone who understands the importance of education. If it were for the pure knowledge alone, it would be enough & worth it for people to go back to school.

My dad doesn't practice medicine here in the states because his license wasn't valid here. He teaches in the medical assisting program at Stevens Henegar College. He's definitely a 'ONE-OF-A-KIND' instructor & anyone lucky enough to be one of his students. . . .knows exactly what I mean. He has a passion for teaching that makes him stand out so much in his field. His compassion for people & wanting to see them succeed has been carried on to his grandchildren & I am so grateful. I definitely owe it to my parents who have instilled in both me & my siblings the very importance of getting/receiving an education. We're all three enrolled & back in school right now. :D It's very humbling & I'm so grateful to be able to further my education.

It's the very reason we made the move out here to Ogden. I will be transferring from Salt Lake Community at the end of the semester & attending Weber State in the spring. I'm so excited. Weber's started a Science Moms program to help moms to teach their kids that science isn't just for the SUPER-SMART. It can be so much fun, too. I will be attending that program until June. The girls LOVE their new school. And so do I. The diversity alone will introduce them to different ethnicities & open their eyes to a more global point of view. I didn't realize how much of a blessing it's been for the girls as well when it comes to their education. When they started school here, we quickly realized that they were very behind. This new school is way ahead of where they were at their old school. And even though we're working harder to get them up to par, I feel very fortunate that they are getting such a GREAT education. I had quite the motivational talk with them on their 1st day of school. Had to pick them up & reassure them that with a lot effort & hard work put in by both them & me, we WILL get them up to par with the rest of their classmates. :D And it's been a very time consuming goal, but one that we are more than willing to take head on. :D

This is so random, but if it wasn't. . . .then I wouldn't be ME. Lol. But I'm sitting here typing away & I start to sing in my head the Toys 'R Us song & how come the ending I remember is not this 'I'm a big kid now.' Hahaha. . . .oh gosh. This is totally from another commercial & I can't remember which one. Oh well. I'll stick with what I've already written. Hahaha. . . . .

When we were moving, those were my thoughts exactly. That we were officially grown-ups. Moving on our own & really being totally dependent on each other now. No more mom & dad for the kids to run to. No more 24/7 babysitters. No more late night talks with mom about anything & everything. No more ZUMBA. :( It's been quite the transition to our new life here, but it's been one that's worth every bit of toil put into it. Our home is much smaller than the previous one so it's maintainable for me. It's much more economical in every aspect of the word. The size of the home alone has so many bonuses to it. Easier to keep clean, smaller utility bills, I know where my kids are all the time, it's cozy & warm, & most of all. . . . .it's AFFORDABLE. :D We have a fenced yard for Titan with a covered patio that his doghouse is under so that it's good to go in any weather. We have been very blessed & I'm so grateful. I can officially say that 'I'm a big kid now.' And yet I'm closer to 30 yrs old than I am to 25. Lol. I guess that saying really is true, huh?? 'It's better late than never.' :D

Off Track. . . .

Off track. . . .no not the kids. This time it's all ME!! I've been totally 'Off Track' because of the flu that came & took over my life. LITERALLY. For a WHOLE week & a half. While I've always been the type of person that's always been able to see the positive in life, there was no up-side in feeling like I was going to die. Dramatic, much?? But that's exactly how I felt. This illness knocked me off my feet while @ the same time knocking the wind out of me. I wasn't able to do anything for myself. Except of course, using the bathroom. Which I was barely able to do on my own. Ugh. . . I haven't been sick in years so I guess this was my year to be HIT w/everything that I've been missing out on. I was so GRATEFUL that Hoko was home. He got sick right away because of the change of weather from the hot & humid in Louisiana to the dry & cool air back here @ home. And yet he was still up & about taking care of me & the kids. :D I love him so much. He was seriously my lifeline that I didn't know what I'd do without him. Which is kinda weird cause I'm pretty independent. I love to be able to do things for myself & to help pull the weight of our family. :D But this was not the case & it was killing me.

I'm so ECSTATIC that I've been getting better. I got to a point where I forgot how it felt like to be healthy & normal. But I'm glad it's all over. I, literally, started feeling better on Saturday. The same day that my husband got the call to head back to work. He was home for two weeks & it sucks that I was sick most of the time. :( But I'm grateful that he's working & able to provide for our family. Being in school full time, while juggling family life is so not an easy thing. But I'm grateful for the opportunity to be furthering my education, while @ the same time wondering/hoping that I'm making the right decision in going back to school right now while my kids are still so young. Always makes me think that these are the years when they need/want me the most. Once they grow up, they'll start to claim their independence in doing all things just like I did when I was growing up. :D Oh LIFE. . . .why couldn't it be more simple?? Like Adam & Eve simple. . . .wishful thinking, I guess. Well, I'm gonna take advantage of today & take the kids out for a walk in the neighborhood. :D Life is looking up & there's definitely a lot to look forward to. :D I love it!! :D

'LITTLE EINSTEIN' :D

Aaliyah approached her father & I at the beginning of the week about a letter she was given by her teacher & was instructed to bring home to her 'PARENTS.' My immediate thought was that it better not be another letter asking for room moms. Lol. As harsh as that may sound, I just don't have the time for it. Having to keep my head above water while juggling family life, school, church, extended family life, school (again) & WOW!! This list may not seem that long, but if I was to break it down into sub-categories. . . .it would be endless. I'm definitely GRATEFUL for the never-ending journeys, both past, present & future. :D It's a very REFRESHING feeling being able to anticipate on things to come while in the meantime being reminded of the present-tense.

And in being the mother to this child, I could take full accountability for the WONDERFUL decisions that she's made in her life up until now, but it would be dishonest & downright wrong on so many levels. We give full credit to our loving Father in Heaven who has blessed us with tools to utilize in our everyday lives so as to return home again with each & everyone of our family members. :D And in this case, the tool that has brought so much joy to not only our family as a WHOLE, but to our daughter on a more personal level?? The Book Of Mormon.


The prophet Joseph Smith said that, "the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than any other book." I've always consciously known that the Book of Mormon is the key to helping families return home. But I've never actually seen it with my own eyes when it comes to someone other than myself. Up until about a month ago when we were challenged by our stake presidency to start reading it everyday as a family. The blessings that come with it were specific to the family. In the blessings of our children & so forth. Well, I can testify to the truth of it as of now. And with only a little over a month of doing this, the blessings have been never ending. With whom have I seen it affect the most?? My not-so-little-anymore Aaliyah. She has always been a bit of a challenge to me. And it might be because of the fact that she's always been so much more mature than her age group. It always caught me off guard & I think unconsciously, it HORRIFIED me, to say the least. She would have comebacks that would have me sitting there trying to think HARD of something smarter to say so as to put her in her place. That didn't work out so well. Can you imagine?? A grown woman trying to outsmart her elementary-aged child. Wow!! Pretty pathetic. Lol. Well, our Book of Mormon reading/studying has changed all of that. It has instilled in Aaliyah a trait that she definitely fell short of. Compassion. It has made the difference & I totally didn't just go off on a tangent for nothing. This has everything to do with why she was recognized today at school, I promise. :D

She has received the 'Principal's Pride' award every year since she started kindergarten. She is now in 4th grade. What makes this time around so much more UNIQUE & quite MEMORABLE is the fact that she not only was getting recognized for making the honor roll, but for her examples of friendship with in her class. Her willingness to encourage her classmates on different projects at school. We're so PROUD of Aaliyah & the ongoing journey she continues to travel in her life. We love you so so MUCH!! :D You have been such a MARVELOUS blessing w/in our family. :D

And though she may not ever amount to anything close to the REAL Albert Einstein, academically, she will always be our 'LITTLE EINSTEIN' in what matters even more than that. Her compassion & examples of that towards those around her. :D

Updates Updates. . . . .

So in an effort 2 try & keep up w/my blog, as well as record the happenings of what's been going on in my life. . . .here I am. With another short post that'll maybe turn into a pretty good size one since I do have the tendency 2 ramble on about such random things. Ask my husband. . . .I don't think anyone knows me better. Lol.
This past Thursday, Hoko surprised me with his home visit that I'm hoping is more on a permanent note then not. :D His project in Louisiana has come 2 an end & so he's home 4 the time being. It has been quite the transition having him home, again. My once, one parent home & whatever I say goes has now become what it was before. . . .Dual parenting where what he says matters, too. Well, most of the time, @ least. As long as it's along the same lines as what I'm thinking or enforcing. No worries, tho. We've had 10 yrs 2 realize that in order 2 make things work 2 our advantage as parents. . . .we better compromise on our different styles/beliefs of parenting when it comes 2 the kids. :D As well as when it comes 2 our relationship as husband & wife. Though the journey has never been an easy one, I can honestly say that is has been worth every moment spent 2gether & apart.
Anyways, back 2 my UPDATES. As I was saying in my previous post. . . . .I found a new love this past summer. I spent all summer long playing women's rugby. The team I played 4?? Utah Pink Panthers. :D I love playing the sport, but even more than that?? I love being part of a team!! :D Knowing that when we're all out there on the field, how vulnerable we are as individuals, but how unstoppable we are as a team. We played tons of games during the summertime & participated in tournaments as well. I would've never imagined that I would ever step foot in the Rio Tinto stadium as an athlete. :D That was an AMAZING experience all in itself. I don't care if I only played the last 2 min of the game. Lol. It was an adrenaline rush that can't be explained. I formed a sisterhood with women from all walks of life & the wonderful thing about it is the fact that I would've never met these women outside of these circumstances. So I guess you can say that my summer was pretty memorable 2 say the least. :D Unfortunately, I haven't been able 2 keep up w/my team because I'm back in school as of August 25th. The day fall semester started & I have been busy busy busy since then. Taking 16 credits may sound CRAZY 2 most, but I'm finding it exhilarating. I love being back in school & working 2wards some exciting goals. Not that any of it will be easy in any way, but it's nice 2 be able 2 remind myself of the end reward. :D
With school in full force, as well as the kids in school, it's been quite hectic in our household. But it's always an adventure. The other day, I was logged into my online english class typing away during our live chat w/our instructor as well as other students in the class, when Savou full throttle throws up what seems 2 be everything that he's ever eaten in his little 1 yr old lifetime. It was disgusting!! Along w/the stench of the milk chunks all over me. . . .Ugh, I ran 2 the bathroom holding him in my arms, undressed him, turned on the water in the tub & there he went. I had 2 soap him down fully, rinse him off, take him out, & dress him before I could even think 2 get started on myself. Oh the joys, right?? Lol. Definitely right because he brought me back down 2 earth & reminded me of what my primary role in life are 1st & foremost. A mother above all others. :D
Sila starts her 1st day of preschool 2morrow & she's ecstatic!! :D It's always so reassuring 2 watch your little ones grow up & be so eager 2 learn. And you hope that their eagerness 4 education will take them all throughout their lives even though it's a long shot. So while I'm writing this post, I'm thinking of what I'm gonna write my paper on that was due last night @ 11:59 pm. I know. . . .so terrible, right?? Well, it's my reality. Cause all I can think about are the pumpkin chocolate chip bars that are waiting 4 me 2 make & stuff my face with as well as the New Zealand Cream I had the wonderful opportunity of enjoying yesterday @ the Kiwi Bakery. Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm. . . . .the good things in life that I've been able 2 savor lately & the icing on top is that my husband's been home 4 me 2 create those memories with. May sound corny, nevertheless it's nothing, but TRUTH. :D And I'm totally smiling right now while I'm writing this because I've missed him so MUCH!! :D With that said, I'm gonna have 2 end & hopefully I'll be able 2 find time in this coming up week 2 upload some pics 4rom this past summer. Also 4rom my trip 2 visit my HOTT STUFF HUBBY in New Orleans. :D More 2 come. Definitely. :D

M.I.A Much??

'Missing In Action' seems like a TOTAL understatement when describing my total NEGLECT of my blog in the past months. I'd like 2 blame that on my newest found hobby this past summer. And 4 those of you that have been fortunate 2 have kept in touch w/me via facebook, text, church or an occasional run-in, know very well what it is!! :D Lol. :D
I know I know. . . .who the heck doesn't play sports all her life & instead gets married @ 17, while 6 1/2 months prego, & a couple of yrs down the road has 5 more under her belt, starts/quits school as repetitive as she changes her fashion tastes & on top of that?? Agrees 2 have a husband that travels out of state 4 work @ least half of the year or more. . . . .and on top of ALL that?? Decides 2 join a newly formed women's rugby team in the Salt Lake Valley as a form of working out & totally falls in LOVE w/the sport?? You're lookin' right @ her!! Hahahahaha. . . . . .That person would be ME!!
This is where my total NEGLECT of a lot of things including my blog came into effect in April. :( But my blog will be the only one I admit 2, in reference 2 the 'WORLD WIDE WEB.' I can't go into any details on what's been going on the past couple of months right now since I don't have the time, but I just wanted you all 2 know that I am getting myself back on the BLOGGER BANDWAGON & this is the 1st of many posts 2 come. Lol. I'm not even sure anyone has even checked this recently, besides me, but I will continue 2 practice on my writing skills due 2 the English class I am taking right now that I'm hoping 2 ACE!! :D