Pioneer Weekend

For the last few weeks Candi has been busy making Mina and Leila's costumes for polynesian festivities they will be performing in with their Tausala group over the Pioneer Day weekend. So Pioneer day we watched the parade on t.v. and saw Cynthia Wood holding her flag with the Grantsville marching band. They had a close-up shot for a second. At night we went to the Fagogo Samoa festivity at a Equestrian pavilion on 11400 south. The girls were in some numbers during a play production they were in about Samoan stuff. It was boring as until the girls parts. They did really well but couldn't see them very good where I was sitting. The fireworks going on around us was more interesting. Erana is quite a nuisance when she is out and about. We tried keeping her belted in the stoller which worked for most of it but she kept whining at Candi to get her out. Once out we had to keep an eye on her as she goes off playing.

Thursday the 25th I took off from work. We had a nice day at Pineview on the beach. Tyrell went to Lake Powell with Tyler Breinholt's family and stayed on a house boat until Sunday. We swam and ate KFC for lunch, laid out and swam more. Candi and I had fun in the lake with our life vests on floating together. Erana would occupy herself playing with sand toys and had fun. We left around 6pm after a walk along the beach, then stopped for shakes.

Friday the 26th, Jaxon spent the day at the Webelos camp in Millcreek canyon. In the evening we went back to the Samoan festival. The girls did more dances with the Tausala group this time, not just the play numbers. They used all the costumes Candi made. Mum, and Scott's family came. The seats we had still weren't the best but oh well. The girls were awesome, I am very impressed at how good they are with their Tahitian and Samoan dances. Those lessons aren't a waste of money. Now to get Candi to have them be as good with Maori stuff.

Saturday the 27th was the last games for rugby. We had pizza and food after our games at the South Jordan rec fields. I had enough rugby balls they gave me for coaching that I gave one to each kid. It was fun but glad it is over. Jaxon did well this season. He made a lot of his own decision making on the field as half-back and that's what I wanted instead of me yelling at him with what to do. He is a better player.

Sunday the 28th, we went to Joshua's missionary farewell. He did a good job. I'm very proud of my nephew. He has a strong testimony. After we gathered at a home of a friend of Monica who said they could use for the feed as they were out of town. They had a big backyard with a pavilion. Monica wants to buy it someday. They had lots of mexican food since Josh is going to Mexico.

July Fun

I had a nice day off on the 4th. We went to the West Jordan parade at our usual place on 72nd south by the old Albertson exit. Auntie Raihi and Uncle Craig were on the roadside on their chairs. Candi and the kids sat by them and got lots of lollies during the parade. I sat behind them on a grassy knoll under a tree's shade and soon got surrounded by mi familia (a bunch of hispanics trying to scab the same shade). Mina was staying in Tooele for the week. Tyrell stayed home. In the evening we picked Mum up and went to Jody's for dinner and lit fireworks in the evening. Jody had a bunch of aerials. A couple times he gave us a fright when it tipped over and they shot off along the ground. The second time it hit a car passing by then started shooting at the home across the street after the car passed. After that the kids wanted to hide behind chairs for the next ones and so did I. We went home around 10:30pm.

July 6th, Saturday we helped Danny and Raina move stuff out of the apartment. They are renting a home in Sugarhouse or somewhere, can't remember.

From the 8th to the 12th Tyrell went on a Bear Lake Scout camp. He said he had fun riding horses, shooting shotguns and other stuff. He did really well clay pigeon shooting he said, passing his badge qualification easily when he had to get a certain amount with 50 shots.

Thursday night, 11th, Candi and I saw the Pacific Rim movie about giant monsters from the ocean attacking cities so the humans built giant robots with 2 people that pilot them and fight back. It was pretty cool and fun but kinda ripped off Independence Day movie in many ways. I took Tyrell and Jaxon to see it on Saturday 13th. They liked it.

Friday morning, 12th, Candi and I went to have breakfast at the Belgian Waffle place across from Hillcrest HS because we had a 'buy one get one free' coupon. Summer monsoon rains, thunder storms have come a few times and has been a nice change from the hot weather.

Saturday, 13th, Jaxon scored 2 tries in rugby. They were awesome too. I owe him 10 bucks now.

On the 17th to the 19th Jaxon went on a school camp trip to Mill Hollow camp. The same one Mina went on a few years back. He said he had fun. Rugby is still going on and we've had not many kids at practices. I have had to cancel twice because of rain. We have still been doing well. We played Herriman again Saturday 20th and did much better but lost by 1 try 20-25. It was a hot, hot day for rugby. We won the 2nd game but had to give them one of our players. I'm glad I have one week left. Coaching is fun but is getting old as the weeks have gone on. I don't think I'll do it next year.

Tyrell's 16th Birthday

I ordained Tyrell as a priest today on his 16th birthday during priesthood. We invited the family to come and to stay for dinner and his birthday cake afterwards. Shaun's family were able to make it and Jody's kids. Jody and Monica and Scott's family were on vacations. Jared is in Brazil. His daughter Alessandra was born just this past week. Since Scott and them were out we used his home for the dinner because their home is cooler than ours. It has been really hot lately, above 100 degrees and our swamp cooler doesn't cool our home enough.

Manti Pageant

I worked half the day on the 26th and took the 27th off so we could go see the Manti pageant. We got there around 4pm or so Wednesday afternoon and booked into the Manti Motel that was almost across the street from the temple hill. We relaxed in the room since it was so hot. At 6pm we went and saved our chairs by putting blankets on them then went back to the room. The motel has an ice cream parlor and movie rentals so we rented 2 movies (Oz the great and powerful and TMNT-ninja turtles) and got ice cream. Candi also went and got pizza for dinner. The pageant started at 9:30pm so we went to our seats a little after 9pm. The show was good. The last time I saw it was with Brent Hillam way back in 1993 I think when we slept in the back of his pickup on the side of the road after. It was still hard for the kids to see over the heads in front of us. The next day we left around 11am. It's about a 2 hour drive.

I had rugby practice in the evening still. I've been coaching Jaxon's team again. Jaxon has been getting better at rugby. He scored a try the other week. It's fun to see him develop and get better. His running and moves are getting better. He can hit the gaps and make people miss. Also we bought a new trampoline on the 25th. Basically was paid for by the money I got from returning my shotgun. The kids were begging for one. It's a rectangle one and can fit under our deck when not being used. I had to show them my moves I learned from the tramp we had when I was young.

June Fun

Today Tyrell and I went to 'Get Some Guns & Ammo' to shoot on their range. We shot my hand gun and tried to shoot my shotgun but it wouldn't fire off the shells as if the hammer was too weak to trigger it. Only 3 managed to fire. I was bummed. I'm going to return it and get my money back. We had fun though, Tyrell and I are not too bad with the hand gun. Last night Candi, Tyrell and I saw the World War Z movie about a zombie apocalypse. It was alright. Last week we took the kids to see Man of Steel a new Superman movie. It was pretty good as well. Julia stayed with us for few nights and was well behaved.

Father's Day was the 16th and I got breakfast in bed and some chocolates for gifts. Tyrell went to a Stake youth conference from the 13th to the 15th. It was at the Utah State University campus. I think he had a good time. He doesn't talk a whole lot to Candi and I. We wish he would. Jaxon scored his first try on the 15th. He cut through a hole and out ran everyone. He almost got a second one the exact same way but placed the ball down before the try line. There were 2 lines of cones that confused him. I pay him $5 per try.

Erana is cute as ever. One time a few weeks ago I took her to the store with me. I was carrying her but was getting tired. I said something like "I'm going to put you down now because my arms are sore and you're heavy." She said, "But you're strong Daddy". I felt encouraged to carry on.

Erana's 3rd birthday

June 6th:
Erana's 3rd birthday. She is getting older too fast. She is such a joy. It was also the last day of school. Tyrell struggled getting homework done that was overdue during the last couple weeks but he did enough to pass each class with a c being the lowest grade. It's a relief school is over for him. Mina on the other hand gets A's without us having to get on her case at all. That's so nice. All the kids did well. After rugby practice we went to eat at Arctic Circle for Erana's B-day then had dessert and she opened presents at home. Mum, Scott & Heather & kids came over too. She loved her presents and had me read her books to her that night and held onto her Ty-beanie sea horse all night. I wasn't paying attention at one point with her book and she grabs my chin and pulls my face to her and says. "Dad, talk to me, talk to me." So cute and funny.

June 8th:
Jaxon played his first 2 games of rugby. Lost the first and won the second. We have some work to do winning rucks. Later in the day we went fishing at the Willow pond. The kids like to fish especially Mina.

June 7th:
Forgot to mention on the 7th Candi and I went to the Draper Temple with Joshua while he did his endowments. They ate at Cafe Rio after while I went and got the rugby uniforms and met them there.

May Highlights

May 23rd:
First practice coaching Jaxon's rugby team, West Jordan U10s. Coaching again kinda helps me get out of my comfort zone, but thinking about it made me a little nervous but I'm over that now. There are 9 kids, Jaxon, Jackson Zander, Isaiah Caver, Nuu & Iti Tuia, Braxton Bosch, Abinadi(Binny) Bigelow (a half-maori kid) and Benjamin Barrows.

May 25th:
Had a BBQ at Fisi's house and watched UFC. A kiwi samoan fought named Mark Hunt, but he lost, too old (39).

May 26th:
In the evening we took the family to the  cemetery  where Grandpa Hono and Nanny Jean are buried. We met Mum and Scott's family. We sat a little and sang some songs with the ukulele.

May 27th:
Memorial Day off. We went to the ward scout breakfast at the duck pond park. Had a fire-pit in the evening with hot dogs and marshmallows.