Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Visit with Grandma and Grandpa Keeling
We were so lucky to get to see Grandma and Grandpa Keeling in Thatcher, Arizona before we flew back to Kauai at Christmas (I know, the Christmas posts are getting a little old, but we couldn't not tell about it.) I have been waiting to get pictures from Holly that show the conch shell lessons before I made this post. We had a great visit. We were talking about Hawaii (Grandma and Grandpa were regular visitors for many, many years), and Grandma went into the bedroom to get some conch shells to show us. Grandpa demonstrated some very impressive conch shell blowing ability and we all tried to duplicate it. None of us were near as good as him, but it was fun trying. It was especially funny to watch Rusty (note the out of order pictures below). He got totally gassed trying to make a noise, and all that happened was a funny little squeaky noise. He kept trying and got the conch shell all spitty, then tried to hand it back to Grandpa to demonstrate again. Grandpa started laughing and kind of looked at the spitty conch shell with a yeah right look. Eventually Rusty caught on. Grandma complimented the "feminine" conch sound that I produced. Mike and Holly caught on quickly. Even the girls tried a couple of times. Yumm, family germs. Grandma also brought out some of her jewelery and the girls had fun trying it on. Kyleigh was happy to see Wilky (the dog) again. We just wish we could have stayed longer.
We love you Grandma and Grandpa!!!
We love you Grandma and Grandpa!!!Friday, January 9, 2009
Christmas Misc. pictures.
The arrival of Jenny's Family. 
The girls checking for treats in our advent calender.
Pictures of the deer just down from Merrill and Nancy's house in NM.
The kids composing messages for Santa on Christmas Eve.
KyKy and Katelyn practicing the piano at Nama'a house. Holiday Highlights part 2 - the NM activities
We did lots of fun things while we were in NM for Christmas. Most importantly we got to spend time with the Cook family. We ate and ate and ate and ate. I made four batches of sweet chex mix, which was only a drop in the hat of delicous food. We got to drink hot chocalet and not sweat because of it. We sat next to the fire and loved every second of that. We only got a skiff of snow one day, but the warm temeratures were conducive to lots of fun outdoor activities. We went to Penny Park (an almost entirely made of wood, 100% community built maze of funness), rock climbing, hot dog roast at the city of rocks, shooting bb guns, played ultimate frisbee, acted out the nativity, played dress up and lots of games (including an ultimate challenge night), went rock climbing, played on the swingset, and climbed on the climbing wall. Our ultimate challenge game night was a contest between everyone and the results were based on a combination of your ping pong, pool and farkle placings. Rusty created brackets for ping pong and pool and you played whoever you were matched up with in the brackets. I ended up tying with Rusty for second overall. Mike was the gold medal winner. One day Brianna (cousin who is 12) dressed Kyleigh and her brother Ben (4 months older than Kyleigh) up in costumes. Rusty's mom has the biggest best collection of dress up clothes ever. They came upstairs as a wrestler/cheerleader, caveman and woman, movie stars, indians, and angel/devil. You will see who was the angel and who was the devel below.
Rusty and the girls coming up a tunnel at Penny Park.
Shooting guns in the mountains, with SNOW!
Kyleigh and Ben playing their parts well.
Christmas angels for the nativity.
Not so "ultimate" frisbee, but same place and time and super cute.
Does the fun ever end?
Rusty and the girls coming up a tunnel at Penny Park.
Shooting guns in the mountains, with SNOW!
Kyleigh and Ben playing their parts well.
Christmas angels for the nativity.
Not so "ultimate" frisbee, but same place and time and super cute.Does the fun ever end?
Holiday Highlights part 1.
Woo Hoo, I won!!! Our ward has a "festival of trees" as part of the ward party. 30 families/people/auxillaries volunteer to decorate an 18 inch tree. The trees are used as centerpieces for the party and then donated to nursing homes or other long term care facilities on the island. There are several categories of winners, mine won the most original. This is a picture of the sign that accompanied the tree and the tree is pictured below. You can't see it very well, but there is a sign on the mirror that is on top of the tree that says "You're a star." You also can't see that there are a bunch of small, clear lightbulbs strung on the tree with fishing wire.
Parties for the season were as follows: Christmas kickoff party with the Petersons (as posted previously), Rusty's work party (we came home with an air soft gun and the game chutes and ladders), Ward Christmas party, Graves/Christenson gift party (on the off year when Holly and I don't see our families we try to have a turkey dinner and open our gifts from them), Kid Christmas party (we had all of Kyky's friends over for a great party, and cookie exchange (ladies only, we all brought 7 dozen of one kind of cookie and went home with a fabulous variety).
Kyky with Santa. Katelyn wouldn't even get close.
At our kid party we celebrated Merry Christmas (made snowman pins and cards), Feliz Navidad (made Mexican yarn ornaments), and Joyeux Noel (pictured above, candy stuffed in T.P. rolls, wrapped up. One kid gets on each side and pulls, like a two person pinata). We also decorated star cupcakes and sang Christmas carols. All the kids had so much fun and Kyky loved helping plan and execute the party.
Hanging out after presents during Graves/Christenson party.
This was all before we even left for our Christmas Vacation. Stay tuned for "the rest of the story."
Parties for the season were as follows: Christmas kickoff party with the Petersons (as posted previously), Rusty's work party (we came home with an air soft gun and the game chutes and ladders), Ward Christmas party, Graves/Christenson gift party (on the off year when Holly and I don't see our families we try to have a turkey dinner and open our gifts from them), Kid Christmas party (we had all of Kyky's friends over for a great party, and cookie exchange (ladies only, we all brought 7 dozen of one kind of cookie and went home with a fabulous variety).
Kyky with Santa. Katelyn wouldn't even get close.
At our kid party we celebrated Merry Christmas (made snowman pins and cards), Feliz Navidad (made Mexican yarn ornaments), and Joyeux Noel (pictured above, candy stuffed in T.P. rolls, wrapped up. One kid gets on each side and pulls, like a two person pinata). We also decorated star cupcakes and sang Christmas carols. All the kids had so much fun and Kyky loved helping plan and execute the party.
Hanging out after presents during Graves/Christenson party.This was all before we even left for our Christmas Vacation. Stay tuned for "the rest of the story."
Friday, December 12, 2008
Christmas letter
I hope our Christmas letter has found everyone looking back on a great year and looking forward to another. As always, our life is an adventure. So you don't have to review our blog I've created our year in review.....
January - Rusty turned 30. Yes, you are reading that right. Ahhhhh! Holly and I started a Christmas craft project.
Febuary - A dog gets away from us while we are volunteering at the humane society, and the humane society mafia instructs us on how to hold a dog on a leash.
March - Watched an outdoor movie while eating hot dogs on beach chairs under the stars as a ward activity. My mom and dad came to visit. We met them on Oahu and spent four days touring the island. They returned to Kauai with us and spent another week.
April - Mike and Holly get THE CALL that their sweet baby girl had been born. Less than 24 hours of preparation for a baby and she is placed in their anxious arms. As a family we cry, pray in thanks, shake our heads in amazement, oogle over how beautiful she is... and repeat. We are still repeating. Nancy (Rusty's mom) and Kathy (Holly's mom) both come to visit and help take care of Naiya.
May - James and Vicki Hill came to visit us. KyKy graduated preschool.
June - Hmmm, I can't remember what happened in June.
July - We celebrate the fourth of July on the beach, watching a great fireworks display, and listening to the waves crash.
August - Me and the girls take a trip to Idaho for two weeks, and continue on to New Mexico for a week. We got to be there for Josh's (our nephew) baptism. Rusty and Mike stayed behind, which was sad, but every time we called they were leaving or returning from an adventure. I don't think it was too hard on them. Kyky turned five, and we started homeschool kindergarten.
September - I turned 28. Ha ha, not to thirty yet. Jeff and Antoinette Carpenter came to visit.
October - We celebrated halloween as a washer, dryer, tide box, and cinderella. We also saw a beached baby orca whale. Towards the end of the month we left to go back to Idaho for Mike, Holly, and Naiya's sealing. We spent a week in Boise. Rusty and Mike flew back and me and the girls went to my parents house for a week. Holly and I finished our Christmas craft project.
November - Katelyn turned two. We celebrated Thanksgiving with friends.
December - We went to the temple in Laie, and will leave for Christmas in New Mexico on the 19th.
What we do with our days...
Beach going
snorkeling
scuba diving
freediving (Rusty)
ballet (Kyky)
homeschool kindergarten
golf ball hiking
regular hiking
playing baseball
eating smoothies
going to sunshine markets
reading scriptures
bathing Jake (the kids think it is fun and the dog smells good, can't go wrong there)
gecko catching
reading books (Kyky and I finished the little house series this year)
learning the articles of faith (Kyky was the first person in her primary to pass them off. We were done before her 5th birthday)
feeding wild chickens (Katelyn's favorite, they are everywhere here)
running errands (necessary evil)
having lunch with Rusty (on the lagoon at Marriot's Kauai lagoons. We feed the fish after lunch)
golf cart rides (at Rusty's work after lunch)
golfing
primary (Kyky is in CTR 5 and Katelyn is in nursery, just able to stay by herself in the last couple of weeks)
parties with friends (there seem to be alot of parties around here. No complaints!)
traveling (my girls have been on 18 flights this year, counting every takeoff and landing as a flight)
visiting family (the light at the end of the terminal)
picking and eating fruit. It tastes better when you don't have to buy it.
bike riding (Rusty on a mtn. bike, me on my stationery/mtn. bike, Kyky on her bells and tassles bike. At different times of course).
Family home evening
Cub scouts (Rusty and I are den leaders)
Babysitting Naiya (our favorite thing to do, that we don't get to do often enough)
rockclimbing
watching scripture movies (we bought a set for Christmas last year)
eating (can't forget that one).
We enjoy every day, and hope you do too. Merry Christmas to you and your families.
With love and best wishes,
Rusty, Mandie, Kyleigh, Katelyn, and Jake
January - Rusty turned 30. Yes, you are reading that right. Ahhhhh! Holly and I started a Christmas craft project.
Febuary - A dog gets away from us while we are volunteering at the humane society, and the humane society mafia instructs us on how to hold a dog on a leash.
March - Watched an outdoor movie while eating hot dogs on beach chairs under the stars as a ward activity. My mom and dad came to visit. We met them on Oahu and spent four days touring the island. They returned to Kauai with us and spent another week.
April - Mike and Holly get THE CALL that their sweet baby girl had been born. Less than 24 hours of preparation for a baby and she is placed in their anxious arms. As a family we cry, pray in thanks, shake our heads in amazement, oogle over how beautiful she is... and repeat. We are still repeating. Nancy (Rusty's mom) and Kathy (Holly's mom) both come to visit and help take care of Naiya.
May - James and Vicki Hill came to visit us. KyKy graduated preschool.
June - Hmmm, I can't remember what happened in June.
July - We celebrate the fourth of July on the beach, watching a great fireworks display, and listening to the waves crash.
August - Me and the girls take a trip to Idaho for two weeks, and continue on to New Mexico for a week. We got to be there for Josh's (our nephew) baptism. Rusty and Mike stayed behind, which was sad, but every time we called they were leaving or returning from an adventure. I don't think it was too hard on them. Kyky turned five, and we started homeschool kindergarten.
September - I turned 28. Ha ha, not to thirty yet. Jeff and Antoinette Carpenter came to visit.
October - We celebrated halloween as a washer, dryer, tide box, and cinderella. We also saw a beached baby orca whale. Towards the end of the month we left to go back to Idaho for Mike, Holly, and Naiya's sealing. We spent a week in Boise. Rusty and Mike flew back and me and the girls went to my parents house for a week. Holly and I finished our Christmas craft project.
November - Katelyn turned two. We celebrated Thanksgiving with friends.
December - We went to the temple in Laie, and will leave for Christmas in New Mexico on the 19th.
What we do with our days...
Beach going
snorkeling
scuba diving
freediving (Rusty)
ballet (Kyky)
homeschool kindergarten
golf ball hiking
regular hiking
playing baseball
eating smoothies
going to sunshine markets
reading scriptures
bathing Jake (the kids think it is fun and the dog smells good, can't go wrong there)
gecko catching
reading books (Kyky and I finished the little house series this year)
learning the articles of faith (Kyky was the first person in her primary to pass them off. We were done before her 5th birthday)
feeding wild chickens (Katelyn's favorite, they are everywhere here)
running errands (necessary evil)
having lunch with Rusty (on the lagoon at Marriot's Kauai lagoons. We feed the fish after lunch)
golf cart rides (at Rusty's work after lunch)
golfing
primary (Kyky is in CTR 5 and Katelyn is in nursery, just able to stay by herself in the last couple of weeks)
parties with friends (there seem to be alot of parties around here. No complaints!)
traveling (my girls have been on 18 flights this year, counting every takeoff and landing as a flight)
visiting family (the light at the end of the terminal)
picking and eating fruit. It tastes better when you don't have to buy it.
bike riding (Rusty on a mtn. bike, me on my stationery/mtn. bike, Kyky on her bells and tassles bike. At different times of course).
Family home evening
Cub scouts (Rusty and I are den leaders)
Babysitting Naiya (our favorite thing to do, that we don't get to do often enough)
rockclimbing
watching scripture movies (we bought a set for Christmas last year)
eating (can't forget that one).
We enjoy every day, and hope you do too. Merry Christmas to you and your families.
With love and best wishes,
Rusty, Mandie, Kyleigh, Katelyn, and Jake
Monday, December 8, 2008
Saturday on Oahu
On 12-6-08 we went to Oahu for the day. We flew out at 6:15 a.m. and flew back in at 10:15 p.m. It was a quick decision to go, made just earlier in the week. The temple in Laie is closing for remodeling on Dec. 30th, and won't reopen for 18 months. We wanted to go before it closes. Mike and Holly also went. We watched Naiya while they did a session and vice versa. We went in the visitors center and the craziest McDonalds with a water fall. We also went rock climbing in the afternoon. I haven't ever been rock climbing with such a great view. The rocks overlooked the ocean.
I'm really glad we got to go to this temple. The temple grounds were beautiful. From the temple you could look down and see 4 pools of water. The last of them being next to the visitors center where this picture was taken. The drive up to the temple is lined with palm trees, which I love. The visitors center was also fabulous.
It was a great day.
I'm really glad we got to go to this temple. The temple grounds were beautiful. From the temple you could look down and see 4 pools of water. The last of them being next to the visitors center where this picture was taken. The drive up to the temple is lined with palm trees, which I love. The visitors center was also fabulous. 
It was a great day.(I am working on Christmas cards. Please leave your address in comments if you don't think I have it Briannie, Mandy, that includes you. I would love to send you a card!)
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