The Frozen play

Andrew was part of the ensemble in the Frozen play at the middle school and I don't know who was more excited, him for the fun time or Millie for the fact that it was Frozen. The rehearsals took months and the week of the play he had long days. The play was well done and really fun.

The tickets sold fast, so we grabbed what we could. JB went opening night with Millie (dressed as Anna).

This was Andrew's townsperson costume for the last scene.

James got to see the play during the school day on a field trip. Then on Saturday, closing night, I took Ben, James and Millie.

We were sitting on opposite sides.

Here's the closing number with everyone together.

Here's the cast picture for Andrew on the wall.

 

Every night we read a book of Frozen short stories before Millie goes to bed. She loves it so much. 

Max did the play when he was in 7th grade, too, (it was Peter Pan, see this post) but then got too busy with basketball the next year and Ben was always too busy with basketball.

February happenings

Here's a family update for February. These pictures came up of Elder Richards in his Google photos from El Paso.

Ben went to the Sweethearts Dance in February.

Papa, Nona and Scott came to one of Ben's home games.

 Ben had his last sophomore and JV games of the season. 

I took Ben and Andrew and one of Ben's friends to the temple early before school one morning.

The Chiefs won the Super Bowl on the day I was running round Maui on my last assignment and then heading to the airport. And of course Max was staying faithful and not watching the game. But we were both grateful to learn about the Chiefs' win!

JB and the kids went to dinner with the Richards that day.

JB took the kids to Crown Burger (which Millie called Burger Crown) and to Costco while I was gone. Another time we all went to Costco again for lunch.

JB and James went to the Utah Jazz game with James's Jr Jazz tickets.

James and Millie made axolotl Valentine's Day boxes for school.

We watched National Treasure for a movie night.

Millie continues to get into bed with us in the morning and take my phone for a few minutes.

JB went to 2nd grade's donuts with grownups at the school.

Hawaii assignment

I was sent to Hawaii for a few days to report on Elder Rasband's ministry and other stories. I got to Oahu on Wednesday night and spent Thurs-Friday there, then I went to Maui for the rest of Friday-Sunday and flew home overnight Sunday night. I wrote five articles about the experience for the Church News. Each headline below should be hyperlinked to the article.

Elder Rasband’s message of love for young adults in Hawaii

A call for integrity: Elder Rasband’s invitation at BYU–Hawaii

6 months after the Maui fires, survivors share how they have seen God’s hand, felt His love

The message of ministering and love that Elder Rasband shared in Maui

85-year-old Hawaiian Latter-day Saint inspires with lifelong lessons of self-reliance and faith

I learned again to prepare and plan before a work assignment but then to follow promptings when you get there. I learned from the Smiths (who lost their home in the fires) that gratitude is a powerful tool and gift. And I felt so inspired by Sister Chase's talk in their stake conference to ask yourself, "What would you do if you were not afraid?" 

I got to see the Polynesian Cultural Center where JB's parents met around 52 years ago (they were both on vacation with their families), and BYU-Hawaii campus and a teeny part of Oahu's north shore. I saw again some of the wonderful people I met six months ago when I first went to Maui after the fires. And I met new amazing people, including those I interviewed for the six month followup story, and an amazing lady who lives deep in the mountains on the Road to Hana.

If I'm assigned to go back, I hope it's for the new temple! And I need to bring JB with me. I was busy the whole time driving around, interviewing people, writing stories, going to meetings, etc, but there were some times when I stopped and stared out at the water and wished for my family.

Here are the pictures I took in backwards order.

At the airport bathroom on Sunday night, showing some of my sunburn (even with sunblock, ugh) before I changed from my dress into clothes to wear on the plane ride home. I had been in meetings and visits all day.

Writing my story on the grass by a food truck where I finally ate after running around all day living off granola bars in my backpack.

A feral chicken stalking me.

Singing Aloha Oe at the end of stake conference (I got goosebumpy and teary-eyed)

On Saturday, Feb. 10, Aunty Meiling showed us to the shore where she used to fish with her family.

She also showed us her Taro patch. That's my photographer taking her photo (you can see the photo he took in my article)

I remember sometimes to take selfies for my family back home.

Here's the lunch she served us. Spam, hot dog, various Hawaiian seafood salads, rice and noodles.

The road is so twisty and turny and narrow and I got quite carsick, ugh. It helped to pull over at viewpoints and have the breeze in my face. The photographer Scott took this panoramic and got me in it -- that other foot is one of the senior missionaries that took us there.

On Friday, Feb. 9 I interviewed Etina at her new temporary place, and then interviewed the Smith family where they are staying in one hotel room until they can rebuild (hundreds of people are in this waiting mode, it's awful). Scott took their photos on the beach and I love how they turned out for the article.

Photographer Scott's wife came as well and they had an anniversary vacation together before I got there for the assignment. They showed me where to spot whales and I saw a few but alas none showed up in this photo.

This is me in the hotel in Laie after a wonderful visit to the Polynesian Cultural Center on Thursday night. My family would have LOVED it.

The dances and show at the PCC were amazing. I was there to write about the devotional before the show. and share just a little bit about what it is all about. We'll have more in coming days and weeks from our film crew, who are there this weekend.

Roasted pig. I took a picture to show my kids.

There's a young man up in that tree picking coconut in the Samoa section of the PCC.

This guy was so funny. He showed how to make a fire and husk a coconut.

I am obsessed with the New Zealand section of the PCC.

They did a few dances and then did the Haka and let me tell you, seeing the Haka up close in person is terrifying and awesome.

The Tongan village was really fun.

Here's the Tahiti village.

Here's a wayfinding ship. The presenter fully embraced the movie Moana.

This is the introduction pavilion where I kept thinking of my in-laws being so cute as they spotted each other for the first time.

I tried to take this panoramic shot of BYU-Hawaii.

I mean, maybe I should have come here for a semester in college!

I walked to campus from the hotel on Thursday morning to see where I would need to be later that day for my article assignment.

When I landed in Honolulu on Wednesday night, I had to take pictures of the mountains and really did not do them justice.

I tried to take a selfie in a parking lot Wednesday night to show JB that I had arrived and was getting something to eat so he shouldn't worry, but this lady popped up behind me. Sorry lady!