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!

It's Independence Day!!

Oh my {favorite} holiday has come and gone once again....

We started out the morning at the parade...with a little help from the young singles in the family, we were able to get a "nice" spot right out on the street.

Why I still want to do the parade every year is the question 

I start asking myself every year...at about this time.

Because it {usually} gets HOT!

But nice for us we have an easy enough solution...

connections!  We were invited to {enjoy} the parade from a cool store window and balcony.

Thanks connections!

tate~kaia~jman

After some time spent eating and playing in the park...the hot park...we headed off to the annual luau and fireworks show at the {Provo House.}

I was particularly {excited} to participate in something I hadn't done in Years

Slip-N-Slide.

yeah, it's still fun!

(tried to upload the video...obviously it didn't work.)

Josh and Marc graced us with some fire dancing entertainment 

once again.  We hope to see Josh soon on {Ellen} for

 her "coolest kid talents" show.

My sis and I in our festive dress.  "of course!"

Annual game of speed.

watching the {non-professional} fire-works show.

Here's the party watchin the {pro} fireworks show.

NEXT MORNING

we went to the Balloons!  {a lot less crowded the day after the 4th}

Here's Kaia trying to be brave

...and J.  He usually has that look on his face

who know what he is thinking.?

We ended the day at the arts and crafts fair.

a little wrestling...a lot of the time.

Kaia has a good technique.  Just {lay} on the opponent.

...then the sleep {finally} settles in!

THANKS AMERICA!

THANKS ALL THOSE WHO MADE US FREE!

THANKS ALL THOSE WHO FIGHT (at home and away) TO KEEP US FREE!

now if only gas was free....

There we were on a Sunday afternoon, enjoying the peaceful, laziness of the day.

All of a sudden, out comes my Mom with a giddy grin on her face.  In her hands: a bowl full of Indian mud to mask our faces with!

Easily, she convinced the girls to participate.

Some of the guys needed a bit of a push, others, who refused, 

were suddenly surprised with a finger full of mud on their nose. 

 "Hey, you've already got some on your face.  Might as well spread it all over!"

A different kind of fun

Jared and I went to the US Open this past weekend...it was fun. 

 A different kind of fun though.

Lots of walking

Lots of standing

Some jogging

Bad shoes worn by me

Bad eating habits

Crammed up against the rope next to people I don't even know that might touch me wrong, {repeatedly} just to get a glimpse at the big bad Tiger for 3 min.

Sitting in the cold wind in Southern California

(we decided this was better than baking in the sun)

And yet, we had fun.

We'll do it again.

And next time I'll wear tennis shoes.

Happy #1 to our Jubby bubby boy!

Jason Kali'i Hoyt 

May 29, 2007

dubbed:  J  -  Jman  -  J Bird  -  J Birdie  -   Bubba  -   Jubbs   -  Jubby  - Jason Bourne

Our Lump of Goodness!!

We celebrated a little different this year, with Jared's family in AZ.

They say 1 year old's don't really know what a present is and maybe the aren't really interested...Well our Jubbs was.  He LOVEd his new truck, ball and doogers (stuffed tiger.  OUr son likes things stuffed...hopefully not a precursor for the future!)

And the Cake.  Yeah.  He LOVED the cake too.

Now you know where he got some of his nick-names!

Ode to my Bubbs:

Our chubby, flubby, bubby

Who's bum wears a huggie

It's great that you can play

by yourself all day!

You're content, happy and...full

No tantrums you have yet to pull.

We love the way you growl

When it's into our foreheads you plow

You have eyes that could captivate

And a body made to intimidate

You arrived and we said,

"Who is this?"

You're blonde, white

and we might have the same size fists.

You're our gentle GIANT and 

We're glad you came our way.

You make most days bright and cheery!

It'd be cool if you talked like Bobby Flay!!

loves loves loves to my bubbs.