July

7/5/20

Hi Mina,

We haven’t written for a few weeks, sorry. So on Father's Day I had breakfast in bed and Mum got me some treats. Mum and I go for a hike each Friday, at least we try. I enjoy the summer and the mountains. Mum gets tired easy going up the hills. I’ve gotten fitter from running on the treadmill 3 times a week so I don’t get as tired as Mum. We did the Willow Lake trail and the Green Basin trail since the last time we wrote. Tyrell’s Birthday was Tuesday so I took half the day off and he had the whole day. I took him shooting at the TNT range. We shot our AR15 rifles and rented the Thompson submachine gun and shot a magazine each. That was fun. We ate Dominoes pizza at home and he had a Keylime pie for his cake. Quinn came over to hang out with Tyrell. Jaxon started up Rugby again but to do 7’s. They had 3 games in Alpine on 6/27. He said they got thrashed all 3 games, but his team really didn’t practice in positions or anything. They just played touch during the few practices so far. We didn’t go watch. Mum and I were taking Tyrell out to eat. We ended up not going anywhere but ate Apollo burger take out at home because restaurants have restrictions still because of the scamdemic covid19. They are requiring to wear masks in public places for a few weeks in Salt Lake County. It’s all rubbish and unnecessary. Only the sick should need to wear them or just stay home. Jaxon also started football practice for THS. We’ll see how this goes but I’m happy he is giving it a shot and trying something new. I’m always glad to see when you kids take the initiative and do things productive on your own. I had Thursday 7/2 off since the Holiday off was Friday and I don’t work Fridays anyway. We went to Pineview with the 2 girls. It was pretty crowded. We had a nice time except for the people putting their boats right in the spot the kids were swimming in. It was a pretty hot day. Friday Mum did some painting in the house. Saturday July 4th we went to Uncle Scott’s at about 6pm to eat then lit fireworks at 9pm. Jared brought a package of what he thought was fireworks but were all birthday poppers that shoot confetti and stuff, shame. The neighbors in the cul de sac had the good stuff going off, lol. I had to take off my jandals and whack them together to make firecracker sounds, jk. I remember my neighbor in NZ doing that lol. Talia went and got some proper ones to light. We went home around 10:30pm. We had church at home today and the Stake President said we probably will continue to do so in July.

Anyway, love you heaps. We’ll pray for Sione.

Love Dad and Mum xxx

 7/19/20

On Friday Candi and I went on a hike along the Honeycomb cliff trail. We stopped at a ledge area behind the mountain with the Solitude ski fields. The ledge area overlooks the trail about 75 yards off it. It was a nice secluded area to rest and sit for a while. I left my shades behind there. On Thursday evening I took Leila on a hike with me to Lake Mary up at Brighton. It was my first time doing it and it was a nice beautiful hike. We saw a Moose on the way on the side of the road and we saw 2 deers running around us and lots of squirrels and animals like that. Leila enjoyed it. We walked to Lake Martha and Dog Lake on the way back. I got her a 4 for 4 at Wendys after for her treat for coming with me.

       

7/26/20

MINA IS HOME!!!

On Tuesday July 21st, we cleaned the house then we went to Scott’s home for Drays 12th birthday. We left from there to go to the airport to pick up Sister Wiramina Wihongi!!! Her flight was landing early than expected. We went as a family, but was supposed to be parents only, we ignored the signs to where to park and waited out in the airport garage. It was taking too long so I went and asked airport security, he informed me, basically park where we should’ve! lol Mina still hadn’t come out, and she called Dad and finally she came out of the doors to the garage. We cheered pitifully and gave lots of hugs! Took her back to Uncle Scott’s to say hello and pick up Maya who was sleeping over. At home Julie Taylor came over. Mina liked the renovations Dad had done, she gave out the goodies and Dad went overboard opening and tasting them. 

Wednesday the weather had turned grim and was a worry. I told Mina to pray to Heavenly Father to stop the rain and that it would be nice for her ‘Home Coming’ party. Well prayers worked, had a bit of a carbuncle before it started due to Jay not knowing what to do??? 

Jaxon led ‘Tika Tonu’ for the first time he did an awesome job. We had a NZ sausage sizzle in the backyard of Scott’s. We had a good turn out of people - family, ward family, Mina’s friends, Hiona family with way too much food haha.. But overall it was a good time with family and friends. We also lit fireworks. Mina was sleepy a lot due to jetlag. We’ve discussed possible dates Helaman Finlayson and a Moleni rm. Sophia Wolferstan stayed over the night on Wednesday 22nd. Jason had the 22nd off for Pioneer day since the 24th fell on a Friday. We went to Pineview then dropped Sophia off only the way back. Ollie invited us to stay for dinner. Sunday we got together at Jared’s with Johnny Kapua’s family, and the Gudgeons for dinner. Duane is back for some work and to sell his home probably around October. Our church in home today was very nice. Mina gave a wonderful missionary report for us and testimony. We are so happy to have her back!!

June - Erana's 10th Birthday, Tyrell's 23rd

6/7/20

Hi Mina,

This week we left to Moab Wednesday morning at around 8:30am. We stopped for gas in Price then our first stop was the Dead Horse Point State Park visitors center. We looked around in it and Mum bought a t-shirt and Erana got a stuffed animal. I think she called it a jerboa but I just looked it up and it’s a Desert Kangaroo rat. We ate lunch we brought on a balcony at the back of the visitors center. It was a pretty hot day with some breeze and clouds to help keep cool. We walked around a trail at the visitors center that had some awesome views. We drove past the visitors center to the end of the road at Dead Horse point. You’ve been there a couple times as a kid. We took photos and walked around a bit. We stopped at the neck of the point to take photos then drove on to Canyonlands park, Island in the Sky area which is a few more miles down the road from Dead Horse Point State Park. It is a federal park and they haven’t opened their visitors center yet. We drove to the Grand View point and hiked a 2 mile trail. We did that one too back in 2007. It was a nice walk. We did a short walk to the Mesa arch after that then headed to our Hotel. Erana was looking forward to it. The kids thought it was a hotel room and were shocked that we had a nice new condo all to ourselves. We found it on Airbnb.com. The condo was called the Wandering Cow, unit 9A5. It had 3 rooms. Mum and I had the main one with it’s own bathroom, Jaxon and Tyrell were in their own room and the girls slept on a couch bed in front of a tv in the loft area. Everything was nice and clean. I had a hotel room booked with 3 beds but canceled it when I found that this whole Condo would only be $7 dollars more than the hotel room. Erana and Jaxon swam in the pool. Leila had her monthlies so she couldn’t and was disappointed. Mum went to the store to get food and brought home Dominoes pizza. We got up at 8am to try to be at the Delicate Arch trail early. We ended up starting the trail at 9:45am and by then it was already hot. There were no clouds like the day before. It was a busy trail with plenty of other people doing it. We rested about 5 minutes from the end up on this rock face area and Leila thought that was the end and started walking back. We waited and thought she was going back to go down an easy trail and catch up but she was on her way back to the car. Mum had to go find her and chase her down and gave her a growling. We took photos at the arch and rested a bit then made the walk back. We drove along the road to the end to see the views then stopped at the Sand Dune arch which was short. We went back to the Condo at about 2pm. Tyrell, Mum and I went to the pool while the kids chilled at the Condo. We went and ate dinner at the Moab Diner around 4:30pm. They close off every other table for social distancing still. We walked around the shops after and Mum got another t-shirt. She couldn’t make her mind up between 2 shirts in different stores close to each other. Then we got ice cream at the grocery store. We were glad to rest our feet at the end of the day. My phone says I did 14862 steps, 6.72 miles. We got up around 8am to eat then clean the place before we had to check out at 10am. There was a list of things to do before leaving stuck to the fridge that we followed. We went back to the Arches park and walked short trails. The Double arch and the Windows arches and the Tunnel arch. It was a hot day again but we had fun. We stopped at a little museum park thing too. It had a museum, a trail with life sized Dinosaurs, a 3D aquarium and a short 3d movie. I went in with the girls only. It was hot az walking that trail. The 3D aquarium was cool. You wear 3d glasses and look at large aquarium windows and the sea creatures from Dinosaur days come up to the window and swim past. The first one freaked out the girls and Erana screamed out loud. We left and stopped in Price and got Burger King for lunch and ate at a park then drove home and got back around 6pm. It was a fun short vacation. Saturday was Erana’s birthday. Mum and I took her to eat at Cafe Rios. We first tried Golden China but they weren’t fully functioning yet because of the Coronavirus rules for buffets. They only had the Mongolian Grill section open and Erana didn’t want to stay there. We had a small cake and she opened her presents. Still can’t believe it has been 10 years already since she was born. Sunday we had church at home and Talia was with us. We each bore our testimony. Later Gracie and Maya came to stay the night. We had Tres leches cake and sang happy birthday to her. Uncle Jody stayed and Uncle Scott and Auntie Heather were there too. That was a lot and hopefully not too boring to read. Keep working hard, your time is running out.

Love Dad and Mum xxx

6/14/20

Kia Ora!

Had cuzzies over for Erana’s Birthday which we celebrated on Sunday. Maya, Jonah, Uncle Jodi, Uncle Scott’s family, Gracie came we had Tres Leches and ice-cream. Leila and Jonah went and slept at Kage’s house and Maya and Gracie stayed here. They were here till Thursday! Went to the castle park with them had picnic’s there, Wendys and Pizza. The girls slept in everyday and had cereal for breaky. They played with pokemon and Ty-Beanie Boos and watched a lot of object shows on YouTube, bfdia, bfdi, bfb & anime insanity. Talia comes and stays now and then her and Jaxon hangout a lot. Did an errand for Primary making words for our collage and taking photos of leaders. Went to Kapahaka on Thursday at the park, Shaun Clarke was home from Oz he got laid off from Quantas due to Covid19. Friday the girls played at the Ferguson’s and so Dad and I went on a hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon ‘Mineral Fork Trail’. Dad is way fitter than I am and I was really slow and needed to stop and take a rest a lot. There was a little river flood in our trail so we had to be careful. It was a 9 mile hike but we only did about 4 miles cause of me saying lets be done! lol  Saturday the girls and I went with Aunty Heather to see Julia’s play she’s the lead in ‘West Side story’. She has really improved in her singing and acting she was awesome!!! 

Love Mum and Dad xxx

Hey Mina,

Nothing much has been going on in my life lately. I’m taking a couple classes this summer. I’m taking financial accounting and a health class. Dad and I went shooting with Uncle Jared this week, it was pretty fun! I also hung out with some of my old high school friends, we went out for pho and talked about a lot of deep doctrinal stuff haha. We went to Moab last week, it was actually a lot of fun, I can’t wait to go again. Anyways, I hope everything is going well for you. Love you !

Tyrell

Hello Mina,

This week I have been sleeping over at Kage’s house. It started on Sunday through Thursday. So I spent a lot of time with cousins. Jonah slept over at Kage’s until Thursday too. It was a fun week. We went to the “castle park” two times this week. On Friday, Erana and I biked to Suzy Ferguson’s house and we played the whole day. They have baby chicks. Suzy and I made zucchini bread and baked it in a sun oven. We ate burritos for dinner there. Then we went to the church building and played basketball. Yesterday, Aunty Heather picked Mom, Erana and I up to go to Julia’s play, West Side Story. She was Maria and she did a great job. I hope you have a great week, stay safe! I LOVE YOU!!!

Love, Leila XOXO

Hi Mina,

Gracie and Maya slept over for my birthday and before that we went to Moab and after that with May and Gracie and Johna oh Leila and Johna went to sleepover at Kage and drays house and then we had fun and did stuff went to the park and i cant think of anymore things the batteries going to die in 2 minutes bye. 

Bye Love Erana