May: Fashion shows, hospital visits, kangaroos and more

It's taken a while to finally post.  We got a malware attack on our computer and that took a while to take care of partially because right after that Anu ended up being admitted to Sierra Vista again for breathing problems, and our lives got put on hold for a time.  But finally we have the time to get some pictures posted.

Mormor came to visit for a week and Aunt Cynthia was able to visit for a night.

Alani dressed as Princess Jasmine for the Tiny Tigers Fashion at the High School

Kawai did an excellent report and presentation on Kangaroos and we got to watch

Anu had to stay overnight at Sierra Vista for breathing problems

This time he wanted to wear the baby tigger gown

Alani dressed up for 50s day at Tiny Tigers

Zion and Vegas

The first day of our Spring Break was definitely a test for all.  Everything went great, our van ran fine, the traffic was good, the driver was awake, etc.   We survived, but it was a little rough toward the end. Yes, we have a DVD player for the van, and yes, we stocked up with yummy treats for the kids, but with 4 of them they of course argue about which DVD to watch, who is using the pink crayon, who is playing which toy, and on and on it goes.


We left at 3:30 am and arrived in Riverton 14 hours later, in the middle of Wela's BBQ.  It was such a nice greeting, and it was still light out and fairly warm.  It was so nice to see so much family all there.
 
Toward the end of our trip, we began to dread the thought of another long long drive.  So, we decided to break up our return trip into 2 days, the 1st drive would be about 6 hours to Las Vegas, and then we'd stay the night with friends, and only have a 6 or 7 hour drive the last day.

We left around 9 am from Riverton and planned to stop in Zion National Park because it's not too far off of I-15 and it happened to be Free National Park Week.  Our detour probably took almost 4 hours, and our time spent in Zion was not that long, but still, it was worth it to all.  Even to Alani who said it was boring when we arrived.  After a nice half-mile or so hike up an archaeology trail, the kids were really rejeuvinated and definitely connected with nature in a way that we hadn't in quite a while.  It is definitely a special place and one that I hope we return to some time.  Looking down at the campground from above, while hiking, made me really crave to camp there sometime.  The feeling was similar to that in Yosemite Valley, that of just pure excitement and peace all at the same time. The breathtaking views of the red rock remind both Robb and me of our time living in Price, when he worked for the BLM and traveled to the red rock desert every day, and for me who got to spend time on the Manti range, with the Forest Service.

Happy to climb the walls at the visitor center after being in the van 5 hours

The monster crew ready to explore Zion - or a tiny bit of it at least

Posing in front of the Virgin River  - we wouldn't let Anu even poke it with a stick, it was flowing pretty fast

The boys as we begin the Archaeology Loop trail

Alani was bored until she was designated as the leader - see that smile?

C'mon guys, follow me! Yes I'm wearing Ariel pajamas and pink cowboy boots!

Wow, now that's the red rock we love

The blue/greens of the sagebrush and desert plants are my favorite

We made it to the top of the loop and now we all want Mana's walking stick

So Mana found a cairn to meditate by and gave up her stick

The little boy suddently looks bigger standing there with a stick like he's about to take off on an adventure

And Kawai almost looks like an Indian from this canyon, at home in the desert environment

At last we made it to Vegas!  The Iokias insisted we stay with them and Robb' cousin Leinani was able to stop by and talk story until midnight. We had such a great time with their company and hospitality - we were indeed spoiled.

Utah's finest archaeologists and paleontologists

While we were visiting Utah, we were able to hook up with our friends the Loosles. Byron is the reason that I am an archaeologist today.  He was my mentor starting in 1994.  Good thing we saw Byron this decade, because he's about to become historic.

Marie, Byron me and the blondes.  Unfortuantely Kawai got a bad stomach and couldn't meet with us at Frogurt. She missed out on a good treat...they even had Coconut frozen yogurt!

We took a drive down to Price, UT to check out our old town we lived in 11 years ago.  We stopped in at the CEU Prehistoric Museum.  Although it's displays could use a little help, the excavation interactive displays were worth the entrance fee.

The Utahraptor likes Hawaiians

My 4 paleontologists

We stopped at Soldier Summit on Highway 6 to let the kids make a snowball

It was raining/snowing on us a little, so we didn't stay long in the snow

Ohana - Kiahas, Kois, Tulafales, Teos, Palus

Wela's farewell was on Sunday.  He will be serving 2 years in Honduras.  All the family went to church at Wela's ward and then we got some family photos.  Some of us wanted to take pictures at Temple Square, but it was kind of rainy so we opted for the brick wall outside of the chapel. 


Getting ready for pictures



Some of the kids were ready

All the grandkids - from UT Sacramento and SLO

Uncle Wela and all the kids

Just da boys

Just da girls

Everybody look here!

More Temple Square

We got to spend time in some of the buildings at Temple Square, including the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the North Visitor Center, the Tabernacle (where we got to hear a guy playing the organ and it sounded so beautiful).  Also we had a very long "short" tour of the Conference Center and got to feel how comfortable the seating is and see how amazing a building is that can hold 20,000+ people and have no beams on the inside, so no view is blocked, no matter which seat your are in.

Kawai's got Saturn on the tip of her fingers

Some nice man offered to take a picture of us and Lina with the huge Cristus in the visitor center.

Salt Lake City Temple Square

We took a trip to Utah for Spring Break.  We had a great time staying with Kapali in Riverton.  One day we got to take Masalina with us to check out Temple Square.  The kids had never been there, and it had been 10 years since Robb and I have been.  It was pretty fun to look at all the architecture.

Stats for the 6 year old and the 4 year old

Mana - 6 years old
Height: 46 1/2 in (75%)
Weight: 45 lbs (50%)

Alani - 4 years old
Height: 41 in (75%)
Weight: 35 lbs (50%)

Last Saturday was the annual Easter Egg hunt with church.  Poor Alani didn't get to make it, she had come down with the flu.  Mana and Kawai invited some friends to the hunt. It's always a blast at the Jones' fun yard.

Mana being such a good big sister...helping brother with collecting his allotment

Ellie, Kawai, Isabella, Mana, Tekuru having fun

Tekuru, Mana's kempo buddy

Alani was happy to get a crown from Tiny Tigers on her special day, just 1 day after her birthday.