HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Yes!  I will do and EAT whatever I want.

Kaia, you have to be nice today cause it's my birthday.

  Kaia, you have to listen today cause it's my birthday.  

Kaia, don't you remember that it's my birthday?  

Kaia-ism:

I usually post these on the side bar but every now and then

 she says one worth front page news!

Kaia:  Mom can I go to Baileys house?

Mom:  No.

Kaia:  Why?

Mom:  It's Sunday!

Kaia:  Ah SNAP!

ha ha ha.  Had myself a good belly bouncin laugh.

I've created an opinion blog...something fun...something to bring Jared and I closer...something to encourage my writing abilities.

It's my opinion about the 'dumber' things that happen in the Sports world...and sometimes the WAy interesting (doesn't happen often)

So...when you need entertaiment...and if you've got yourself a husband like mine...or if your a sports nut that want's to hear a funny, yet intelligent opinion on the latest and greatest 'duds' in the sports arena...check me out.  

http://www.shesports.blogspot.com

Summer Lovin...Had me a BLAST!!

ok...so it's been a while.  i've been busy.  there is a bunch to catch up on, so happy scrolling.

SANDY EGO!!

This year for the Hoyt family reunion we went to the Sunny Side!

A week with the Hoyt crew only left us wishing for more...or was it a week 

with the salty ocean breeze, hours of shiftless sun shine and friendly sport with an endless horizon and warm curling waves that left us in quite the forlorn state as we journeyed back to Utah? 

We took time out of our busy inactivity to indulge in a family photo-opp. 

The scenery was perfect.  

As the sun sank toward twilight, our scenery inspired creativity.

Creativity which brought duplicates of memories.

I love shadow pictures.  I can make a silly face and you wouldn't know it!

This was taken on the foreground of my future backyard...

and the creativity continues...

All the 'young' adults posing during an exciting game of 

around-the-beach paddle ball.

Might I add?  CHAMPION!  (for one of the games)

Jared built a small city of tunnels...one of which was 

large enough for chillins to crawl through.

All the younger girlies.  We got loads of pictures of this crew.  Why is it that most of the pictures are of the little ones?  Once you hit a certain age...your life is no longer voluntarily documented.  You must ask for your picture to be taken.

I like how Jman is posing in the back!

DISNEYLAND

Tis true...we again took time out of our busy tanning time 

to visit the Happiest Place on Earth.

Here we are on the Tower of Terror!  The Hoyt fam takes up 

the whole of the right side.  We were lucky to make it out of this ride dry.

I was joined by the motley gang for a morning of Yoga.  

(pic is out of place...continue with Dland pics)

Auntie Maegs, Kaia and cousin Kendall on Dumbo.  

The line for that ride was...Dumbo.

Brothers.  Ya.  Truly.

At Last!  The moment we as parents all wait for...sleeping bundles of Joy!

Boggie boarding was def. a highlight.  I decided I could probably go pro!

( naw )

We had a talent showcase one fine ocean-breezin evening.

Kaia and Jason proved to be stars as the didn't shy away from showing their best talent.

Bugging eachother.

J birdie.  One talented soul.  He can touch his toe!

Jared's on the spot finger bouncing routine.

My, not so on the spot, hula.  

quite the unexpected work out.

The time came when we had to say adieu to those warm waves and endless days...we will go back.  After all...someone needs to keep the fire warm for the visitors we will one day have on the Sunny Side of things!

STAKE Pioneer TREK

Jared and I had the opportunity to go on the Stake Trek as Pa and Ma.  The oldest person in the family they gave me was only 3 years younger than me...so I kind of felt like one of the youth.

INFACT:: (and make a note of this)  Most of the other stake leaders who did not know us thought I was a Laurel!  Yay me!!

So ya, I had fun.

The Kenya family "Kenya push a cart? Kenya pull a cart?  Kenya?"

This was our 'before' pic.

Don't my sunglasses make me look so pioneerieee?

My favorite part of Trek was the crossing of the Sweet Water river. 

 Those four 18 year old boys reminded me of my very own 18 year old brother.  

He would have undoubtedly been one of the four.

Here we are, Ma and Pa, at Martins Cove.

This picture needs to go in the dictionary next to 'Ruggedly Handsome'

(which, by the way, is not together in the dictionary)

THat's my man!

Here's Pa...

...and, Wait!  Who invited Aunt Jemima?

OK!  So maybe we didn't look so much like pioneers all of the time.  We were YEARS younger than the other Pa's and Ma's, and it showed.  Each night we, and some of our 'kids' donned our bandaners and rocked out....pioneer style of course.  eh....

Pa at the 'Remember' monument erected by Pres. Faust at the rescue sight of the Willey company.

'After Picture'  Not as many smiles as before.

The trek was...honestly, Hard!  I am quite sure the pioneer children DID NOT sing as they walked and walked and walked.  It got to the point at the end of each day where we were all staring at our feet, telling them to keep going.  Golly!  I can't imagine doing that in the snow and windy cold. Bless them!   

Kamalu Family Reunion

Every {3} years my Mom's family has a reunion.  We were up at Cherry Hill this year.  Not everyone was able to make it (missed an auntie in Alaska and and auntie in Hawaii)  but we had a JOYOUS time.

My Mom's family.  (mi madre is on the far right)  minus two siblings.  

I just think my Tutu Man (grandpa) looks so handsome with his dark skin and white hair.

Of course we had to have our Luau and show (even though the dutch-oven food wasn't really luau food)  My bro Marc and cousin Ben pictured here.

My cousin Danielle doing a number.  I did this one for Jared at our reception. It's a pretty dance. 

My cousins from Oahu, HI were able to join the ranks this year.  

We are always glad to see them.  Especially if we are seeing them in HI!!!

THE RAGNAR

We also ran in the Ragnar Relay, Wasatch Back.  Jared ran last year and I was excited to participate this year (since I wasn't prego).  My family put together two teams, the Guys and the Gals (made up of aunts/uncles, cousins and in-laws)  The boys beat us (of course) but It was a sure fire BLASTITO!   I loved it so much I convinced some of my team to run in the Ragnar Relay, Del Sol in AZ in Feb.  I'll let you know how that one goes!

Here is the girls team post-race.  GO  Ragnar Gladiators!

My immediate family members who ran...(LtoR)  Mo, Dad, Leilani, Marc and Me and Kanani on the bottom.  I love Marc's farmers tan...or as my Dad always calls it "The tan of Righteousness!"  HA!

(don't hate)

Me, Jared and Maegs (Jared's sis. I was so glad to have her along.  What a Blast!)

Van 1.  

The teams are split into two vans, each with 6 runners.  This is a pic of Van 1, my van, pre-race.  See here we are all pumped cause we hardly know what awaits us!

At the starting line.  Still so happy and well rested.

Our van's first exchange.  I was runner two.  My first run was the hardest for me.  Not the longest, but the hardest.  

Me and my sis's awaiting the arrival of one of our runners!

Maegs, Kanani and I made matching tanks.  They were STELLAR!

We all admitted how hard we were trying when we flexed for this pic.  Actually, I'm real proud of the turn out on muscle shape!  

180 somethin miles later we were all still living, some barely, and looking forward to the next one.  

My conclusion:  I still have NO desire to EVER run a marathon, but I think I'm going to be a tri-athlete!  Go mama!