Saturday

Saturday we headed out to the Dole Pineapple Plantation. I heard it was fun, I heard it was so-so, but I LOVED it! I love pineapple and pineapples and I was really looking forward to going. I totally recommend going if you are on Oahu!

Ta-da! A GIANT pineapple that we got to climb into!

 We went on the Pineapple Express train tour of the plantation. Cool stuff. Did you know that pineapples are not native to Hawaii? They are imports from South America.

 I couldn't get a fun picture of us so Mike took this beaut!

 More pineapple fun

 Check out the tiny pineapple. I think it's cute!

 A random, pretty flower we came across-LOTS of them in Hawaii

 After the train ride, we went through the largest maze in the world! At the plantation. It was cool and fun.

After, we just had to get pineapple ice cream.

Delicious

 I got a pineapple float. Pineapple juice with pineapple ice cream.

(now I want more!)

 After the plantation, we headed to the North Shore to see it. It's beautiful!

 We got there just before sunset

 We also ran into sea turtles basking in the sun

 Sun setting behind the turtle

 There she goes

 It was very romantic and relaxing to walk the beach with Mike so we just HAD to have someone take our picture

 Another fun day in Hawaii!

Friday

This year Mike and I have been married 10 years! I can't believe it's been only 10 years, but at the same time, it feels like we have been together so long, in a good way. I love my life with Mike and can't imagine my life without him.

To celebrate our 10th anniversary we went away to Hawaii for a week.

I took a LOT of pictures so will post them a day at a time starting with Friday, the day after we arrived. (We landed in HI Thursday but only had time to get a car and head to the hotel in Waikiki before dinner and bed. It was a long day of travel and we were tired!!)

Friday!

We woke up at 3:30 am Friday morning, we thought it was 7:30 am. We dozed off and on then decided to get up just before 6 so we could watch the sun rise and eat breakfast on the balcony of our room.

The sun rising by Diamond Head, no we didn't hike it, we did a lot, but not Diamond Head. Next time for sure!

 After breakfast, we got ready and went to the temple.

Going to the temple was just what I needed that day.

The view right outside the temple doors looking towards the ocean.

 There were two fun couples from Minnesota that offered to take pictures of us in front of the temple. funny enough, they are in Mike's home stake!

 What a beautiful building, inside and out!

 10 years!!!

 After the temple, we headed to the PCC (Polynesian Cultural Center) where lots of BYU-Hawaii students work to help pay for their schooling.

 We ran into this ugly duckling!

 Mike and I took poi ball lessons and mike was pretty good!!

 It rained on us and it was fun!

We survived for a while, then we decided to buy ponchos. It rained pretty hard all day.

 Lots of cool stuff to see and do at the PCC!

 The luau we went to that night had purple rolls for dinner! They were good, just tasted like a potato roll.

 Some of the dancers on stage!

At the luau, they asked who was there celebrating an engagement, marriage (honeymoon), or anniversary. Everyone who was, were invited to go on stage and dance! Woohoo! There were couples celebrating from 12 days of marriage to 60 years!

It was a GREAT first day!

FHE

Tonight's FHE was great! I need to write these things down before I forget!

Mike taught that lesson on prophets to prepare our kids for conference this weekend.

When asked about where prophets get their council, Emma said, "Heavenly Father" like it was a "duh" question. Smart whippersnapper!

Ethan knew Cain was Adam's first born son...we didn't go into the details about how unrighteous Cain was...another day.

When Mike showed pictures of the latter-day prophets, Jackson said jibberish with every picture but in a way, it sounded like each prophet's name.

When we got to Gordon B. Hinckley, Jackson called him "Grandpa" and wouldn't quit calling him that. I'm not sure if he was talking about my dad or Mike's dad.

My kids are funny and retain a lot more information that I give them credit for. I guess when Emma is playing with Doc McStuffins, she really is listening to fhe, and I guess when Ethan is poking Emma during sacrament meeting, or when Jackson is poking Ethan, Ethan really is listening and getting what is being said.



Cub scout?

Ethan's a cub scout now!

And he looks great in the uniform!

Dressing up

My kids love to dress up. Emma in dresses, Ethan in his old Halloween costumes, Jackson in whatever he can find and get on!

One day, Emma was dancing around in her dance shoes, leg warmers, and a tutu. She took them off and Jackson grabbed them so I put them on him and he let me take his picture.

 I pulled out a few of the Halloween decorations the other day and leftover vampire teeth were in the bucket. The kids knew just what to do and they look AWESOME!

 Whenever Emma has a friend, or cousin, over, she wants to dress up in her princess dresses. One friend said, NO, the next was all for it and they look so pretty.

Jackson wore a super hero cape and mask.

 Then Jackson dressed up like the Lone Ranger and rode away in to the sunset!

Ethan's birthday baptism

After moving to our new ward, even before moving in, we asked a few times if September baptisms would be the 7th. We were told YES! So we told Mike's parents to book plane tickets so they could be here for Ethan's special day. After tickets were booked, planning began, and excitement setting in, we were told that September's baptisms were not going to be the 7th. We talked to the bishop who talked to the stake president who agreed to let us baptize Ethan on his birthday, the 6th! We are very grateful for the sympathy (?) of our stake president in allowing us to have this special day!

Ethan and his dad, who baptized him!

 I jumped in cause I wanted a picture with Ethan too!

 A family shot

 (Ethan's favorite color is RED so I tried to pull some red in on everyone to show him how much we love him. When Emma is baptized, and if her favorite color is still pink, I may or may not make my boys wear a pink tie :))

Mike's mom is a great cake decorator so I asked if she would help me decorate Ethan's cake and give me some pointers in the process. I am super happy with how the cake turned out! Thank you so much, Patty!

 Happy birthday, dear Ethan...

 His wish is bound to come true. All those candles were blown right out.

 Continuing tradition, Ethan got scriptures as a baptism gift from Grandma and Grandpa Lott. (I got my first set from my Grandma and Grandpa Lott too)

 For YEARS Ethan has been asking for a surprise party. I've told him I can't tell him I'll give him one cause it wouldn't be a surprise. Guess what I did? I pulled one together!

I think he liked it.

The kids played pop the balloon to find the...something star wars...

 Darth Vader made an appearance, as a piñata!

 Unfortunately, as soon as he was hoisted, his helmet fell off so the kids didn't get to hit him. I grabbed handfuls of candy and threw them. Thankfully, we have a big unfinished basement and the room to do so.

All the kids got light sabers too.

Ethan decided to make the piñata a "costume"

Darth Ethan

 More Darth Ethan

 Darth Jackson

 Princess Darth Emma

I had a lot of fun. I cleaned up for 4 hours afterwards and didn't sit down to relax until 11 pm, but I guess I do what I do for my kids cause I love 'em, right? :)

To show to Jackson's girlfriends

Emma is really into "make up" lately. She got some lip gloss for her birthday and before church, she has to put some on. It's super cute. Last week, and since, she has decided that Jackson needs some make up too.

He agrees and lets her make him up. I caught a few pictures of the fun.

Pucker up!

 Gotta add those finishing touches.

 After being made up and all the playing during nursery, Jackson wanted to come home and run around in his diaper. We try to teach the kids modesty so Mike put this baby robe on Jackson.

 It's a bit small!

Later, Jackson found one of Emma's many, many princess crowns and put it on!

I sure do have a character on my hands!