Aloha From Hawaii

Here we are at SLC Airport about to depart for our island adventure.



Girls blowing bubbles in front of our "Pink Palace" as we've been told it is called.



I love mountains and Hawaii's mountains are just so...breathtaking- green, lush, mysterious, magnificent...Here we are driving around the Northshore and then down the middle of Hawaii to go shopping at Costco.  It is one of the most beautiful drives I've ever taken. 



It's really easy to take a beautiful picture here.  In Laie, all the major buildings- churches, temple, BYU H campus, are perfectly framed in the streets they are on.  Here is the LDS Laie Temple.  A walk from our house.

A Sunday walk to the temple and visitor center.  We don't have church until 12noon.

Temple Beach.  Our own little beach, a walk from home.




Rain, Rain go away.  Our first week here was horrible rain pretty much every day.  It does rain a little most days, but that first week was an unusual storm.  Talk about going stir crazy in Hawaii that week.  The truck is a loaner from President Wheelwright.  Sweet.



Matt trying to see fish with out snorkle gear (one of our first days out) at Turtle Bay.



Amelia, working on her tan.



Natalie LOVES the beach- playing in sand, pretends to fish, throws rocks, even gets in water (as long as it doesn't go over her head).  She is disappointed there aren't more sea shells, however.



Sam's first encounter with the beach.  Too bad he won't remember much of this amazing experience.  He has had his fair share of eating sand and LOVES the water.



Our first week we spent getting settled, staying dry from rain, exploring our neighborhood and BYU H Campus.



BYU Hawaii



Walking around campus, the girls found a tree to climb.

Matt and kids in front of main entrance to BYUH.  A mosiac mural (sp?) depicting President David O McKay and someone else visiting the islands.  When Pres McKay heard all the local children recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag he was inspired and had a sort of vision, that the church should build a school here. 

Natalie wraps herself in the sheddings of a coconut tree during one of our walks.

Our Stake Center in Laie.



Rebecca and Kids walking to BYU H.  We love walking everywhere (as much as possible).