Big Post Update! Healthy Service

 **WARNING** Big Post Update!!

May 23/13Visited Dr. Hughes today to get medicine for sinuses. We waited outside with the wind gently caressing us with cool breezes We both get headaches from the VOG and mildew here in Laie. Also had my A1C checked. It was 6.0 Hurrah! Doc said I could go off the Metformin. I'm taking 750 mg. per day. Great very active missionary service. I try to walk each a.m. for 30 min. then run, run, run every day @ G&T. It's all great (except when it's HOT & we're tired).

We also got a much needed new/used fridge. No more de icing the freezer part or mopping up a cup of water from lower part of fridge.

P.S.  Happy 5th bday Brennen. We love our cute little "jabber box" grandson!!!

May 26 - Family Visitors

Was so excited to pick up Robyn, Logan & Saydee from the airport. They left Steven home to keep busy with the farming while they returned to visit us for 2 weeks. They slept on blowup mattresses & the couch. The kids loved helping me @ G&T. They found many treasures and Logan even had to take 2 extra suitcases home with him, he accumulated so many "things". They enjoyed our close beach, going to PCC, hiking Weimea Falls & eating @ Kahuku Grill. So proud of Saydee for doing baptisms for the dead in the Laie Temple.

June 1 (Sat.) We Island Hopped and flew over to Kona, Big Island. The Hilo side is wet and tropical, with more than 150 " of rain. Kona side, at the airport, gets less than 10" of annual precipitation. This Big Island is 4,028 sq. miles and is twice the size of all other Hawaiian islands combined. It's still growing. It is the youngest Island 800,000 yrs. old and of course the most volcanic. Kilauea is the world's most active volcano. Mauna Keo is the world's tallest mountain 33,476 ft. high. (13,796 ft. from sea level.  

 Mauna Kea Observatory houses the world's largest telescope,

 

We stayed @ Wyndam Worldmark, Village, (one of our timeshares)  It was beautiful.  Two bedrooms, 2 bathrooms downstairs ,  with kitchen, big living room, another 1/2 bath & Lanai upstairs.  We LOVED the AIR CONDITIONING!!!! Had a nice little swim pool which we played in each a.m.

 

 

 

We went to see "Place of Refuge" It was a safe area where native Hawaiians could escape from their enemies.  They had to get to the ocean from wherever they were being pursued then swim until they reached this Refuge area.  Running over the rugged craters would cut their feet, then hopefully sharks didn't eat them before they swam many miles to safety.

 

 

One day, we toured the Hilton Grand Vacation Resort.  Rode on this cute train all around the 62 acreage.  Saw Dolphins playing with tourists, beautiful beaches, shops, little boats taking guests to various restaurants etc.  It would be such a fun place to stay.  This resort area is only about 10 yrs. old rebuilt on top of old lava flow. They hauled in foliage and palm trees from the northern part of the Island. We enjoyed "A" or Anaehoomau Beach, one of the few nice beaches on the Island.  The sunsets were so beautiful!

 

 

 

We took a "Circle Island Tour Bus".  Derick was our driver and very entertaining. We went all around the Island - It took about 12 hrs. We saw rolling hills at the north end (Weialea & Parker Ranch)  It reminded me of home in Canada.

 

Punalu'U Bakery.  Ka Lae, (South Point) is the southernmost point in the U.S.  We ate at this little bakery. 

 

 

One day we took the Kohala Ditch Adventure Tour.  Enjoyed a 2 mi. ride on Kayaks through water filled irrigation ditches. We met a new lady from Salmon who teaches school in Alaska.  She was fun.  We travelled through many acres of Mac. Nut Tree Farms.  The nuts fall from the huge  trees when they are ripe, then are scooped up by some kind of a vacuum or hand picked off the ground.   

We invited our new friend to eat lunch with us @ Figs. Yummy hamburgers from the beef raised @ Parker Ranch.

Toured Hamakua Mac. Nut Factory - The first Mac. Nut Trees were planted in 1881.  These are the world's best macadamia nuts, grown environmentally friendly. We purchased a few boxes.  Hawaiian Sun (brand name) Passion Orange & Pineapple Snow & Dark Chock. dipped were favorites.

Visited the Kona Temple.  It is small but definitely a landmark on this beautiful Big Island. 

Hope we can return soon.

 

 

Excitement in JUNE

Summer semester 1 ended & we were busy @ G&T.  So happy to get a another container to expand our expanding inventory.  Eugene & I did a wonderful presentation for the Summer Institute.  "Learn, Lead, Build through Sustainability" was the theme.  We showed a fun video about G&T, how it started and the progress we've made in making it a "Mini Macy's".  We modeled clothes and had everyone laughing, eager to come shop @ our stores.

We will miss our Sunday  School Class members from this past semester. Some are getting married and some will be going on missions.  We look forward to Sundays where we teach Temple Prep. Class to these awesome students from all over the Poly Islands.

Would love to bring this Father's Day Tradition home with us.  Croched Leis from "Chile" R.S. Pres.  Cake & icecream outside after church.  Paradise Sunday.  Elder R. was so happy to talk with all our kids & grandkids.  You are the BEST!!! Mahalo for your love & support!

 

May Events

May 13/13

The Samoan Village will be adding a new luau.  We got to see a sneak preview of the dancers.  They use brooms in one of the dances. Sticks in another.

This cute guy called "Cap" is one of our favorites.  He is the MC and so entertaining.

Enjoyed watching 21st annual World Fire knife Championships. Kids range in age 6 - 18.  They twirl hooked knives with flames coming out of both ends.  Pretty scary for some of these little kids.  Even girls competed. Local High schools compete.


May Day (May 1) is a big deal in Hawaii.  Each Fri. there is some kind of entertainment or competition.  Making of Leis and various groups dancing & singing.  Loved watching these local Kahuku Elementary kids.  Their teachers went all out with costumes.  Amazing talent!!

FISHERS OF MEN - Our stake held a Hukelau (hook-e-llow) on Sat.  It's a big reenactment of a hunting/fishing trip the men use to do in the old days to gather fish for the villages. We were lucky to see this as they are going away from doing it because the younger generations don't know how to hold the big net properly. Was so interesting to see the youth swim out into the ocean with snorkel gear.  The "Gil net" was 800 ft. long.   Elder R was the first to see a fish caught.  All kinds of varieties were snagged:  some that looked like a sword fish (trumpet fish) crab, rock fish & others.  These were later cooked for everyone to eat.

This kid was eating this fish raw.  Sushi???? (I only pretended to take a bite.)

These cute Sister Chick Aprons were given to us from Sis. Blazer.  She & Sis. Maples

MOTHER'S DAY in Hawaii -  I was given this beautiful "head Lei made by a cute little Tongan girl and a crocheted yarn lei made by our R.S. Pres. from Chile.  In R.S. I received chocolate nougats and after church the Bishop had nutty ice cream cones for everyone in the ward.  WOW!!! Of course my favorite was hearing from my kids & grandkids!!!  Aloha

Happy Birthday Elder Reynolds!

Happy BirthdayDay Elder Reynolds (66)!!  4/27/13



Celebrating with the Blue Shirts where Elder Reynolds works.

 

We enjoyed celebrating Elder R's birthday for 2 days.  Lots of eating:  Fri. before his Bday all his favorite "Blue Shirt" coworkers gathered and bbqued steaks, chicken, red hawaiian hotdogs (very good) salad, dessert, drinks & of course RICE.  The Poly People love to party!

That evening we ate @ Cholo's {fav. Mexican Restaurant in Hale'iwa}.

The actual night of his birthday we drove up to Turtle Bay & dined poolside watching the surf.  We love their "super nachos"!   Was had such a perfect evening.
                                     Aloha & Happy Birthday Elder R.  XOXOXO 

Home Ward Visitors

Ward Visitors

We enjoyed lots of ward visitors during April.  Was so fun to visit with Crandalls and a couple of weeks later to see Neiders & Krupps. Enjoyed sharing meals with them in the evenings & connecting with previous missionaries.

Sister Irene Yu served a mission in New Zealand while Neiders were serving their mission.  Just so happened she was baptized by Eugene (my student worker) when he served his mission a few years earlier in New Zealand.  (small world)

Breaking & Finally Entering/Other Happenings

April 18 
When you are old Sr. Missionaries, you tend to forget a few things like locking the keys to the car & the house inside the house. We caught a ride to take tickets with our friends the Coopers.  When we returned home, it became important to get inside the house.  The bathroom window was the only way in without breaking windows & screens.  First Elder R. stood on a table (chair on top of table) and tried to squeeze through the tiny window.  Didn't work (he's been eating toooooo much pie!!!) However, his tiny wife slipped right through that small window into the tub and viola......the door was soon open.  We all enjoyed a much needed laugh over this experience!!!

Thompson Visit -  April 16/13  Enjoyed acting as tour guides for our favorite  Doctor, Bishop, daughter's In-laws & wonderful friends, Jeff & Diane Thompson.

We hiked Weimeia Falls.  The flowers were blooming & so beautiful. 

We ate at many of our favorite places.  Shrimp @ Kuhuku Grill, Cholos Mexican Grill, Nachos @ Turtle Bay, PCC Prime Dining  & a favorite of Gary's is Peach Bavarian Pie from Ted's Bakery.  Wish the days would have stretched longer.  We miss serving with these fine people @ BYUI.

BYUH Grad. - April 13/13     April graduation has the biggest turnover of students during the entire year.  We received tons of donations and were extremely busy for a couple of weeks.

I've never seen so many hangers in all my life.  They finally got organized & color coordinated.

Before...

 

After...

 

 We even ran out of room to store all the clothing, so refilled our bins to donate to other charity organizations. 

When it rains, everything gets wet so we hang things on the fence, clothesline & empty bins until they dry.

 We work hard and to stay happy, we take pics. of silly things we find in the bins:

 (pretending to be King Kamehameha's wife & practicing ballet)  Eugene being big horned sheep?

Eugene worked extra hard, going in @ 7 a.m. and staying later in the afternoon.  He & his wife were staying with friends while they were waiting to move into their TVA on campus apartment. 
It was certainly 2 weeks I'll never forget!!!!